Latest news from CureBlindness.org

Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology Inauguration

Fri, 01 May 2009 08:42:00 -0400

The opening event on April 30, 2009, in Kathmandu, Nepal, was attended by Nepal's Prime Minister Pushpa K. Dahal, U.S. Ambassador to Nepal Nancy J. Powell, and Australian Ambassador to Nepal Susan Grace, as well as staff and directors of the Himalayan Cataract Project and the Tilganga Eye Center. News coverage in Nepal was widespread, including articles in the Himalayan Times, Kathmandu Post and The Republica.

Photos, from top-right to bottom:

Dr. Sanduk Ruit with Nepal's Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Dr. Reeta Gurung, touring the expanded Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology.

Camera crews follow the Prime Minister through his tour of Tilganga.

HCP's Dr. Geoff Tabin with Australian Ambassador to Nepal Susan Grace and American Ambassador to Nepal Nancy J. Powell.

On the day of the inauguration, Tilganga presented awards to staff members who had worked at the eye center for more than 10 years. An impressive 69 staff members were recognized, pictured here with Dr. Ruit.

HCP's Job Heintz with Rabindra Shrestha, Tilganga's Deputy General Manager, at the opening ceremony.

Dr. Geoffrey Tabin named �Unsung Hero of Compassion� at ceremony with the Dalai Lama

Fri, 01 May 2009 01:42:00 -0400

On April 26, 2009, Dr. Geoffrey Tabin, co-director of the Himalayan Cataract Project, was named an "Unsung Hero of Compassion" in a ceremony featuring remarks by His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Tabin was among 49 people from 13 countries to be celebrated in San Francisco for their service to society. "These individuals have been selected as representatives of the tens of thousands of people worldwide who quietly serve the disenfranchised and work to improve our communities through their personal efforts," said event chair Dick Grace, founder of Grace Family Vineyards and board chair of Wisdom in Action, the organization hosting the event.

"We don�t see them or hear about them in the daily news, but they exemplify a humanism and heroism to which we must each aspire."

Event organizers noted that as a mountaineer, Dr. Tabin became the fourth person in the world to climb the highest points of all seven continents. As an ophthalmologist, he has reached equally impressive medical heights, co-founding the Himalayan Cataract Project and empowering more than 75 doctors in 16 countries to perform more than 200,000 sight-restoring cataract surgeries throughout Asia.

Photo above: Dr. Geoff Tabin speaks with the Dalai Lama upon receiving his award.

Below: Dr. Tabin snapped this photo of HCP supporters Art Hall and Victoria Chang (in foreground) listening to the Dalai Lama at the ceremony.

Dr. Chang mentions Tilganga Eye Centre innovations in New York Times interview

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 00:03:00 -0400

In an "Expert Q&A" in the New York Times, HCP Medical Advisory Board Member Dr. David F. Chang describes modern cataract surgery and innovations in treating poor communities through the Tilganga Eye Centre in Nepal.

Kathmandu Post reports that Tilganga's new wing will increase services, research and manpower in the eye sector

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 10:24:00 -0400

Nepal's Kathmandu Post covered the official opening of the Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology in Kathmandu on April 30, 2009, saying the new building will be able to accommodate 700-800 eye patients a day.

The article reports that to make services less expensive to the public, infrastructure and equipment such as intraocular lenses are home-produced at Tilganga. Dr. Sanduk Ruit, co-director of the Himalayan Cataract Project and director of the Tilganga Eye Center said, "The idea behind the academy is to upgrade Nepal's profile by producing manpower in the field of eye health."

Dr. Ruit said, "The new wing has been set up to adjust the increasing number of patients in the old facility, to generate manpower in the eye sector and to do more research." He said a number of eye doctors from as diverse places as China, India, Pakistan, East Timor, North America and Europe are coming to the center for training.

Himalayan Times reports on Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology opening, attended by ‎the Prime Minister Dahal & U.S. Ambassador Powell

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 08:37:00 -0400

The Himalayan Times in Nepal reported on the inaugural opening of the Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology in Kathmandu, which was attended by Prime Minister Pushpa K. Dahal, U.S. Ambassador to Nepal Nancy J. Powell, Australian Ambassador to Nepal Susan Grace, and other dignitaries.

In the article, U.S. Ambassador to Nepal Nancy J. Powell said, �The Tilganga Eye Center is playing an important role in the diagnosis and treatment of eye diseases and is also recognized worldwide for its work as a highly advanced research and training institute. We also admire the Center�s extensive reach across Nepal, including 10 community eye centers in remote districts. Tilganga�s community services in extremely hard to reach areas of Nepal provides an exemplary health service delivery model for audiences worldwide.�

In a Himalayan Times follow-up article, Himalayan Cataract Project co-director Dr. Geoffrey Tabin was quoted, saying the Tilganga Eye Center has a track record of providing quality service at an affordable price.

Nepal's The Republica praises Tilganga's impact, reports on partnership between HCP and other organizations to create new institute

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 07:03:00 -0400

Nepal's The Republica reported on the April 30, 2009, opening of the Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology. The newspaper reports that the six-story 135,000 square-foot building was built in partnership with organizations that include USAID, Fred Hollows Foundation, Himalayan Cataract Project and Australian Aid.

In May, two columns in The Republica praised Dr. Sanduk Ruit and the Tilganga staff for the increasing impact that the eye center has within Nepal band beyond.

Tilganga Nurtures Nepali Pride

Vision Tilganga

Special Event: Opening of the Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology

Mon, 06 Apr 2009 10:41:00 -0400

Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Kathmandu, Nepal

RSVP to: events.tilganga@[remove this text]cureblindness.org

View the invitation
(PDF, 600K)

Learn more about the recent Tilganga expansion

TRAVEL INFORMATION

Travel Assistance

Sally Berg
Sally Berg Adventures
Golden, Colorado 80401

Email: sallylberg@[remove this text]gmail.com
Phone: 303-880-8072

Travel to Kathmandu

Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM) is the largest, and only international airport in Nepal. Most flights arrive via Bangkok, Delhi, or Dhaka although there is routing available via Hong Kong and Singapore.

Here are a few of the recommended airlines servicing KTM:

Thai Airways � via Bangkok
Cathay Pacific / Dragon Air � via Hong Kong
Singapore Air / Silk Air � via Singapore
Gulf Air � via Bahrain
Jet Airways � via Delhi
Qatar Airways � via Doha

Flight time from a USA gateway to KTM is approximately 20 hours and coach class airfares typically range between $1500 - $2200 round trip depending on when you purchase your ticket and the routing you choose to fly. Thai Air has the best upgrade value and is often the preferred carrier by frequent travelers to Nepal. Thai Air flights originate from the Los Angeles International airport. Or if you prefer, American carriers such as United or Northwest can be flown to Bangkok to connect with a daily Thai Air flight from Bangkok to Kathmandu. Please call Sally Berg at 303-880-8072 for further flight information and to purchase your tickets.

Visa requirements

You can obtain a visa ahead of time by contacting a service such as www.traveldocs.com. Or visas are available on arrival for citizens of most countries, and one passport-sized photograph is required. To complete the process, you must pay a fee: Transit ($5), 15 day ($25), 30 day ($40) or 90 day ($100.) Make sure that you fill in all of the forms upon arrival and keep your departure card for when you want to leave Nepal.

Transportation from the airport and hotel suggestions

Many hotel and guest houses offer complimentary pickup and delivery from the
airport. Taxis are also available. As always, negotiate the price beforehand with
the driver. A taxi ride to Thamel or Boudha should be approximately 300 NPR. Two recommended hotels are the http://yakandyeti.com and http://hotel-tibet.com/.

Sightseeing

There are many sights to see while in Kathmandu. A few highlights include:

Swayambhu - A large stupa, highly revered in Nepal, and one of the most
sacred Buddhist sites in the country. It offers great views over the city, and no
lack of monkeys. It's a 20-30 minute walk from Thamel.

Baudha Stupa in Baudha - One of the most sacred sites for Tibetan Buddhism.
It is a must see in Kathmandu.

Pashupatinath - An important temple to Shiva in the form of Lord of Animals. See monkeys, cremation, sadhus and a holy cave. Morning is a great time to go.

King's Palace - Giant fruit bats hanging from the tall trees and 20 foot-tall bamboo around the otherwise modern (and well secured) palace are a sight-- especially around sunset when they depart en masse.

Kathmandu Durbar Square - The heart of Kathmandu this ancient square is crowded with palaces and temples, including the current incarnation of the Kasthamandap or "Wooden house" that gives the city its name. The square has been in active use since the construction of a palace around 1000 AD. This site is the most popular UNESCO World Heritage Site in Nepal.

Other resources

Useful information is also found at:
travel.state.gov
wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/destinationNepal.aspx
www.xe.com/ucc/
www.worldtimeserver.com

HCP Medical Advisory Board Member Dr. David Chang delivers Binkhorst Lecture at the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 11:26:00 -0400

HCP Medical Advisory Board Member Dr. David Chang will deliver the Binkhorst Lecture at the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery Symposium in San Fransisco on April 4.

Read an article about the lecture in Eye World

The Binkhorst lecture and medal were established in 1975 in honor of intraocular lens pioneer Cornelius D. Binkhorst. Each year, American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) awards the medal to an individual who has followed in Dr. Binkhorst�s footsteps with outstanding contributions to the understanding and practice of cataract surgery and IOL implantation. Honorees, who present the Binkhorst lecture during the annual ASCRS Symposium on Cataract, IOL and Refractive Surgery, include some of the world�s most prominent pioneering surgeons. This year�s honoree is David F. Chang, MD of Los Altos, California.

Dr. Chang's lecture is titled "The Greatest Challenge in Cataract Surgery. Needed: Five-Minute, $15 Cure for Blindness." It will focus on the global backlog of cataract blindness.

Further information on the lecture and on Dr. Chang are available on the ASCRS website

Burlington Free Press

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 15:35:00 -0400

Vermont's Burlington Free Press shared the news of the Himalayan Cataract Project's fourth consecutive four-star rating by Charity Navigator.

HCP Earns Fourth Consecutive 4-Star Rating from Charity Navigator

Fri, 06 Feb 2009 09:29:00 -0500

The Himalayan Cataract Project (HCP) has been awarded its fourth consecutive 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, which measures the fiscal responsibility of US charitable organizations. Only seven percent of American charities attain this "exceptional" designation for four years or more.

A letter from Charity Navigator CEO Ken Berger stated: "As the nonprofit sector continues to grow at an unprecedented pace, savvy donors are demanding more accountability, transparency and quantifiable results from the charities they choose to support with their hard-earned dollars."

"Based on the most recent financial information available, we have calculated a new rating for your organization. We are proud to announce Himalayan Cataract Project has earned our fourth consecutive 4 -star rating for its ability to efficiently manage and grow its finances. Only 7% of the charities rated have received at least 4 consecutive 4-star evaluations, indicating that Himalayan Cataract Project consistently executes its mission in a fiscally responsible way, and outperforms most other charities in America. This 'exceptional' designation from Charity Navigator differentiates Himalayan Cataract Project from its peers and demonstrates to the public it is worthy of their trust."

Charity Navigator is America's premier independent charity evaluator. The organization helps charitable givers make intelligent giving decisions by providing in-depth, objective ratings and analysis of the financial health of the largest charities in the United States.