Chinese doctors provide free cataract surgery for Lao patients within "Mekong Bright Journey" plan

Chinese Ambassador to Laos Guan Huabing (3rd R, rear), representatives of Lao sight restoring citizens and Chinese NGO sponsors pose for a group photo at the sight restoring ceremony in Vientiane, Laos, Oct. 14, 2016. A sight-restoring ceremony was held Friday at Ophthalmology Center in Lao capital Vientiane after a plan of providing free cataract surgery for Lao people within the "Mekong Bright Journey" framework was inaugurated. (Xinhua/Zhang Jianhua)

VIENTIANE, Oct. 14 (Xinhua) -- A sight-restoring ceremony was held Friday at Ophthalmology Center in Lao capital Vientiane after a plan of providing free cataract surgery for Lao people within the "Mekong Bright Journey" framework was inaugurated.

Speaking at the ceremony, Lao Vice Minister of Health Phuthong Meungpak said this marks a new era when cataract patients can gain back their eyesight.

"This plan contributed to further strengthening the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the party and government of Laos and China as well as the two peoples," he said.

"Cataract is one of the major causes of blindness in today's world. The 'Mekong Bright Journey' has made a great contribution to patients with vision problems, reducing the number of avoidable eye-blind patients," said the official.

From Tuesday to Friday in Laos, as many as 1,500 local patients with vision problems have been diagnosed by Chinese doctors, 200 of them received cataract surgery while 500 pairs of eye-glasses have been distributed, according to statistics by Vientiane Ophthalmology Center.

The "Mekong Bright Journey" is organized by non-governmental organizations from China. It is hoped that the plan will enhance mutual understanding and friendship between people of China and other neighboring countries, Executive Vice President of China Public Diplomacy Association Gong Jianzhong said.

Liu Youping, deputy Secretary-General of China Charity Federation, expected more charitable units will join and support international charity activities, including the "Mekong Bright Journey".

The team of Chinese doctors participating in "Mekong Bright Journey" comes from Aier Eye Hospital Group. Peng Zhikun, a representative of Aier Hospital Group said that the "Mekong Bright Journey" helps regain vision for poor patients in Laos, and improve medical skills for Lao national ophthalmology as well as promote cooperation and exchange in ophthalmology technology between China and Laos.

The "Mekong Bright Journey" has been included into the early harvest list of the first leaders' meeting of the Lancang-Mekong River cooperation.

It will tour four countries, namely Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar and Vietnam, to offer free-of-charge cataract surgery.