South Africa to receive a Donation of Five Corneas from the Sri Lankan Eye Donation Society, on 04 November 2009.
Pretoria: The Department of International Relations and Cooperation will, in partnership with the High Commission of Sri Lanka and the Pretoria Eye Institute, participate in a ceremony to officially hand over five donated corneas by Mr Muhammed Cassim, Medical Director of the Sri Lankan Eye Donation Society on 04 November 2009 at the Pretoria Eye Institute in Pretoria.
The donation by the Sri Lankan Eye Donation Society is considered a milestone in the growing relationship between the two institutions and the peoples of South Africa and Sri Lanka, as this particular donation will bring the figure to over 100 corneas. It is estimated that there are more than three thousand South Africans who cannot complete their schooling or lose jobs while suffering from treatable corneal blindness. Relations between the Republic of South Africa and the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka are being strengthened, through an initiative that focuses on the optical health of all South Africans. South Africa currently faces a serious a shortage of corneas which negatively impact on the health of the general population. The donation is expected to make a significant difference in the lives of South African patients.
The Sri Lanka Eye Donation Society is a non profitable organization founded by Dr Hudson Silva in 1958 and has gifted over one hundred thousand corneas to restore the sight of the blind in Sri Lanka and sixty two other countries, including South Africa. Over the last few years, the Sri Lankan Eye Donation Society has regularly donated corneas to the Pretoria Eye Bank, most recently in May 2009. (Cilla maybe a description of what happens to the corneas once they are received and who benefits).
MEDIA PROGRAMME
VENUE: PRETORIA EYE BANK
THE MEDIA IS INVITED TO COVER THE EVENT.
Time |
Activity |
Venue |
Responsible Person |
10:00 |
Guests Arrival, seating in auditorium |
Pretoria Eye Institute Main Entrance |
AnnaMarie Morkel/ Cilla Boucher |
| FORMALITIES |
10:00 - 10:05 |
Introduction |
Auditorium |
Raymond Foster (MC) |
10:05 - 10:15 |
Welcoming
Introduce High Commissioner: Sri Lanka |
Auditorium |
Dr Sevenster |
10:15 - 10:25 |
Speech |
Auditorium |
Mrs Silva |
10:25 |
Introduce representative Sri Lanka Eye Bank |
Auditorium |
Raymond Foster |
10:25 - 10:35 |
Speech |
Auditorium |
Dr Cassim |
10:35 |
Introduce representative Minister of Health |
Auditorium |
Raymond Foster |
10:35 - 10:45 |
Speech |
Auditorium |
Representative Minister of Health |
10:45 |
Closing |
Auditorium |
Raymond Foster |
|
10:45 - 11:30 |
Networking |
Reception area |
All Guests |
11:30 - 12:30 |
Tour of Eye Institute |
|
Dr Sevenster |
For further information on the event please call Ms Cilla Boucher at 082 498 6670 and Nomfanelo Kota on 082 459 3787.
Issued by the Department of International Relations and Cooperation
Private Bag X152
Pretoria, 0001
04 November 2009
|
