ORBIS International Opens Office in Singapore to Expand Global Reach to Prevent and Treat Avoidable Blindness

ORBIS's office in Singapore allows access to the wealth of ophthalmic and corporate resources in Singapore and Southeast Asia

NEW YORK, Jan. 23, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- ORBIS International, a nonprofit organization that works to prevent and treat avoidable blindness, launched its newest office in the city-state of Singapore. The Singapore office will serve as a resource development base to prevent and treat avoidable blindness in Asia, which has the highest blindness rates in the world. This is ORBIS's fifteenth office globally and its eighth in Asia. Singapore is a highly regarded medical and commercial hub and provides immense opportunity for ORBIS to utilize Singapore's medical skills and its growing corporate philanthropy segment.

"We have selected Singapore because of its geographic location within the region, its advanced medical infrastructure and its robust economy. Opening an office in Singapore is part of ORBIS's strategy to grow our work within Asia and add new sources of funding to cover the programmatic expansion," said Paul Forrest, Regional Director, Asia for ORBIS.

The Singapore office will work to advance ORBIS's mission in three distinct ways by:

• Using Singapore as a hub for its projects in Southeast Asia and to establish closer links to ophthalmic resources within the region;
• Partnering with Singapore's advanced eye care facilities and ophthalmologists to channel these assets towards reducing visual impairment in the region; and
• Engaging Singapore companies and residents to raise resources to support its mission.

ORBIS is thrilled to have access to the impressive ophthalmic expertise in Singapore to help fulfill global program goals. ORBIS has a group of dedicated ophthalmologists in Singapore that volunteer with ORBIS and are aiming with our new office to increase the number of volunteers significantly while also expanding our cadre to include nurses and biomedical engineers.

"In 2010, I was a medical volunteer with ORBIS in the Philippines where I trained local doctors on how to perform eye operations in my sub-specialty area, and other SNEC doctors have also volunteered their time and skills in other countries. The opportunity to be an ORBIS Singapore board member is an honor and an excellent opportunity to bring about a confluence of interests between SNEC and ORBIS in both ophthalmic training and ophthalmic research," said Professor Donald Tan.

ORBIS has registered in Singapore as a Company Limited by Guarantee and will be led by a Board of Directors comprising three members who lend their support from the medical and corporate sectors:

• Jenny Hourihan, President & CEO, ORBIS International
• Professor Donald Tan, Medical Director, Singapore National Eye Centre (SNEC)
• Khoo Seng Thiam, Managing Director, FedEx Express Singapore

"FedEx has supported ORBIS for over 30 years to deliver the gift of sight to the world. Our sponsorship covers the Flying Eye Hospital and its maintenance as well as the FedEx Fellowship that supports the training of local doctors. FedEx also leverages our logistics ability to deliver critically needed medical supplies to ORBIS programs around the world. We're delighted to support ORBIS's efforts in preventing avoidable blindness and congratulate them on their latest office in Singapore," said Mr Khoo Seng Thiam.

About ORBIS International

ORBIS is a nonprofit, organization dedicated to saving sight worldwide. ORBIS prevents and treats blindness through hands-on training, public health education, improved access to quality eye care, and partnerships with local health care organizations. By building long-term capabilities, ORBIS helps its partner institutions take action to reach a state where they can provide, on their own, quality eye care services that are affordable, accessible, and sustainable. To learn more about ORBIS, please visit www.ORBIS.org. 

Related Links:
www.orbis.org

Image with caption: "ORBIS Logo". Image available at: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140123/DC51155LOGO

SOURCE ORBIS International