Duchess Sophie visits Kirtipur Eye Hospital
Operated by the Nepal Netra Jyoti Sangh, the hospital has been providing eye care services since 2017.
KATHMANDU: Duchess Sophie of Edinburgh, currently on a visit to Nepal, toured the Kirtipur Eye Hospital today. She interacted with patients and observed the hospital’s services.
Operated by the Nepal Netra Jyoti Sangh, the hospital has been providing eye care services since 2017.
With support from the UK-based development partner Ridley Eye Foundation, the hospital conducts free cataract surgery camps in remote high-altitude regions of Nepal.
Duchess Sophie serves as the Global Ambassador for the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB), a leading global organization in eye health.
She has been actively working to eliminate preventable blindness worldwide.
During her visit, the Duchess praised Nepal’s progress in eye health and encouraged further integration of eye care into the country’s primary healthcare system. She was particularly impressed by Nepal’s success in eliminating trachoma, a significant public health achievement.
The Nepal Netra Jyoti Sangh operates 28 eye hospitals, 160 treatment centers, and 44 district branches across 67 districts.
To date, it has provided treatment to over 43.6 million patients and performed more than 5.1 million eye surgeries.
The Duchess arrived in Nepal on Tuesday alongside her husband, Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh.
