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 4 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 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 organisation 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: 10h00
Activity: Guests Arrival, seating in auditorium
Venue: Pretoria Eye Institute Main Entrance
Responsible person: AnnaMarie Morkel/Cilla Boucher
Time: 10h00 to 10h05
Activity: Introduction
Venue: Auditorium
Responsible person: Raymond Foster (MC)
Formalities
Time: 10h00 to 10h15
Activity: Welcoming, Introduce High Commissioner: Sri Lanka
Venue: Auditorium
Responsible Person: Dr Sevenster
Time: 10h15 to 10h25
Activity: Speech
Venue: Auditorium
Responsible person: Mrs Silva
Time: 10h25
Activity: Introduce representative Sri Lanka Eye Bank
Venue: Auditorium
Responsible person: Raymond Foster
Time: 10h25 to 10h35
Activity: Speech
Venue: Auditorium
Responsible Person: Dr Cassim
Time: 10h35
Activity: Introduce representative, Minister of Health
Venue: Auditorium
Responsible Person: Raymond Foster
Time: 10h35 to 10h45
Activity: Speech
Venue: Auditorium
Responsible person: Representative Minister of Health
Time: 10h45
Activity: Closing
Venue: Auditorium
Responsible person: Raymond Foster
Time: 10h45 to 11h30
Activity: Networking
Venue: Reception area
Responsible Person: All guests
Time: 11h30 to 12h30
Activity: Tour of Eye Institute
Responsible person: Dr Sevenster
For further information on the event please call:
Ms Cilla Boucher
Cell: 082 498 6670
Nomfanelo Kota
Cell: 082 459 3787
Issued by: Department of International Relations and Cooperation
3 November 2009
