News

Doctors of the Vilnius University Hospital Santariškių Klinikos (Santariškės Clinic) and Lithuanian diplomats initiated a project for early treatment of eye disease in Georgian infants. The project resulted on 21 December in the signing of an agreement whereby the Government of Japan allocated 85,680 U.S. dollars (about 220,000 Litas) to the Children’s Central Hospital in Tbilisi for buying laser equipment.This equipment will be used for complex operations on the eyes of premature babies.

“There has not been such equipment in Georgia before. Therefore, tens of children lose their eyesight for life, although an operation could save their vision,” Lithuanian Ambassador to Georgia Jonas Paslauskas said during the signing ceremony at the Japanese Embassy in Tbilisi.

When Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is diagnosed, it should be treated immediately with laser.

“A couple of years ago, the Lithuanian Embassy in Georgia helped within the a few hours to organize the transportation of a baby from Tbilisi to Vilnius University HospitalSantariškių Klinikos, but it was too late — the infant lost its eyesight for life,” the Lithuanian Ambassador recalled.

The equipment, financed by the Government of Japan, will enable specialists to perform such surgeries in Georgia, and a team of Lithuanian doctors led by renowned ophthalmologist Rasa Bagdonienė will train the medical staff in the use of the new equipment.

Earlier this year, Lithuanian doctors presented an expensive gift - equipment to diagnose retinopathy - to their colleagues at the Children’s Central Hospital in Tbilisi.

With the mediation of Lithuanian diplomats, the hospital later applied to the Embassy of Japan and received funding for the project under the Small Grants Programme.

“Lithuania has helped to open a new chapter in the history of Georgia’s ophthalmology, and we are immensely grateful for this,” one of the project managers, well-known eye specialist in Georgia Zaza Khotenashvili said.

In 2011, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania intends to contribute to this project and finance the training of Georgia’s medical staff from the funds of the Lithuanian Development Cooperation programme.