AirAsia Group and global eye care nonprofit Orbis International have entered a strategic partnership to strengthen eye health systems and expand sustainable access to care across the Asia-Pacific region.
Under the five-year partnership, AirAsia will provide US$100,000 in airfare support annually to help Orbis teams work with local hospitals, health ministries, training institutions and eye care professionals across the region.
AirAsia will also support awareness efforts around avoidable vision loss and the importance of investing in sustainable eye health systems.
The partnership comes as Asia-Pacific faces growing demand for eye care due to population growth, rising chronic disease rates, healthcare workforce shortages and unequal access to treatment.
Orbis has long-term programmes in several countries where AirAsia operates, including Bangladesh, China, India and Vietnam.
For more than 40 years, Orbis has delivered eye care training through initiatives including its Flying Eye Hospital, a fully accredited ophthalmic teaching hospital on board an aircraft, as well as Cybersight, its telemedicine and e-learning platform.
Orbis International President and CEO Kathleen Sherwin said the partnership would help strengthen local capacity, connect eye care teams with training and technology and support healthcare systems capable of serving communities beyond individual projects.
AirAsia Group CEO Bo Lingam said the partnership would combine the airline’s regional network with Orbis’ expertise to bring eye care, training and technology closer to communities that need them.
The partners said the collaboration would focus on innovation, technology, workforce development and stronger health systems to create longer-term improvements in eye care across Asia-Pacific.
