The US Embassy Zambia has praised the work of Orbis International, a non-profit organization that provides eye care services and training to people in developing countries.
In a statement released on October 15, 2023, the embassy said that Orbis embodies the best of America by impacting lives, building local skills, and democratizing medical care.
“The work of embassies and governments reflects just a small portion of the ties between countries,” the statement read. “People-to-people ties are the true core of bilateral relations. Ambassador Gonzales is in awe of the life-changing impacts that Orbis International has made in delivering eye surgeries, training medical providers, and providing the infrastructure to support and capacitate a network of professionals across over 200 countries and territories.”
The US Embassy statement comes after Orbis’s Flying Eye Hospital and a team of international volunteers spent three weeks in Zambia performing over 60 surgeries and delivering multiple medical education trainings.
“Over their past three weeks in Zambia, Orbis’s Flying Eye Hospital and their dedicated team of international volunteers in close partnership with Zambian counterparts performed over 60 surgeries and delivered multiple medical education trainings,” the statement read.
“The United States is proud to support Orbis International in their mission to deliver sight-saving care to people in need around the world,” the statement concluded.
Orbis International is a non-profit organization that was founded in 1982. The organization’s mission is to “save sight worldwide” by providing eye care services and training to people in developing countries. Orbis operates the Flying Eye Hospital, a fully accredited ophthalmic teaching hospital on board an MD-10 aircraft. The Flying Eye Hospital travels to countries around the world to provide eye care services and training to local medical professionals.