Orbis Flying Eye Hospital (FEH) arrived at Noi Bai Airport on May 26 to give free eye surgery to patients with eyesight problems and deliver training courses to medical officials after an 11-day stay in Hue.

The FEH has made six visits to Vietnam in the past but this is the first time it has landed in Hanoi.

Orbis flying hospital is a unique model of advanced internationally recognised ophthalmic training, carried out on a DC-10 aircraft which is adequately equipped with modern function rooms including a clinic, operating room, post-operative room, laser treatment room and training room among others on an area of 610 square metres.

The FEH will stay in Hanoi until June 5 to provide special training courses for doctors, anaesthesiologists, nurses, technicians and medical staff in the field of ophthalmology.

It is estimated that about 200 patients will be provided with examination, more than 100 disadvantaged patients will receive surgery, and 160 doctors, 70 nurses and 15 technicians from Hanoi and surrounding provinces will receive training courses.

Live footage from the operating room is shown in the training room for trainees to follow

The programme is expected to raise people's awareness and support of management agencies for the prevention and early treatment of blindness among Vietnamese children as well as raise the quality of eye care services for children to international standards.

Statistics show that Vietnam has more than 500,000 blind people, approximately three million children are visually-impaired and more than 23,000 others are blind in both eyes.

The flying hospital includes doctors and volunteers from 85 countries around the world who pledge to work 'for a world without blindness' and 'the right to see' for everyone.