Gov’t and private entities sign agreements for eye care, HPV testing

The Ministry of Health on Friday signed agreements with several private eye care and health institutions, paving the way for assistance to be provided to citizens in need of eye examinations and HPV testing.

The agreements were signed in the presence of Minister of Health, Dr Frank Anthony and Chief Medical Officer Dr Narine Singh during a simple ceremony held at the Ministry’s Brickdam office.

Under the agreement, two programmes, the National Eye screening programme and HPV screening programme, will be launched during next week.

For the national eye screening programme, agreements were signed with several providers.

The providers include Eye Wear Optical, Miracle Optical, Bhagwans and Associates, Optique Vision Care, Optical World, Courts Optical and Optiek Ninon.

This programme targets individuals who are 18 years and under and 65 years and older. There are two stages- screening and treatment. Eligible individuals will be provided with a $3,000 voucher to conduct an eye examination at any of the listed entities.

If they require spectacles, they will be given a second voucher valued $15,000 to assist with the full cost.

And if other issues are detected, individuals will be directed to the requisite programme provided by the ministry.

The HPV screening programme is designed for women between the ages of 21 to 65. For screening, eligible women will also be provided with an $8,000 voucher.

The programme also caters for diagnosis and a treatment plan, with the aim of ensuring that 70 percent of the women population is covered.

For HPV screening, the partner institutions include Balwant Singh hospital, Eureka Lab and Woodlands Hospital.

In his address, Dr Anthony said the collaboration is a new venture which forms part of the government’s effort of partnering with the private sector.

“What we want is to make sure that we have reach – use the private sector to get us out into areas that might have been difficult for us.

“So with our combined efforts…we will have broader reach, be more efficient and we will serve as many persons as possible in the fastest possible time,” Dr Anthony said.

To ensure the system function optimally, Dr Anthony said both teams are required to work to ensure that they fulfill their respective roles and in a timely manner.

“This is a very innovative approach.

“We are trying these new approaches and it’s a learning experience for all of us.

“Again it calls for us to talk to each other and work together to ensure that the programme achieve the goal,” Dr Anthony told those gathered.

Once there is success, Dr Anthony said these types of projects can lead to increase efficiency in service and partnership in other areas.