Standard Chartered at the launch of Sierra Leone Eye Health System

SPEECH BY KUMBA NGONGOU, HEAD OF CORPORATE AFFAIRS STANDARD CHARTERED AT THE LAUNCH OF THE SIERRA LEONE EYE HEALTH SYSTEM ASSESSMENT REPORT ON WEDNESDAY  10 JULY , 2013

The Honorable Minister of Health & Sanitation

The Chief Medical Officer

The Programme Manager National Eye Health Programme

The Country Director of Sightsavers International

The Country Directors of Helen Keller & CBM

The Country Representative of EC

Members of the Fourth Estate

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen

Standard Chartered Bank is honoured to be part of this historic milestone, to launch the Sierra Leone Eye Health System Assessment Report, an ICEH project funded by Sightsavers our valued Sight Partner, for strengthening eye health systems worldwide, by supporting countries to improve their health financing, governance, operations, and institutional capacities; which helps to eliminate barriers to the delivery and use of priority eye care.

“Seeing is Believing”, our flagship community initiative which tackles blindness worldwide, has positioned the Standard Chartered brand as a committed Eye Care Partner, supporting governments around the world  to tackle avoidable blindness and visual impairment in collaboration with International Agency for Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) and leading eye care organisations. 

It raises funds for investment in eye care projects that aim to have long-term impact in areas of high need, including Sierra Leone.

Standard Chartered has committed to raising USD 100mn by 2020 for the programme through fundraising and Bank investment. This is a solid proof of our commitment to Global eye care.

Early this year, we formally launched Phase V Type 1 of   our “Seeing is Believing” Initiative, which seeks to improve the overall eye health care in Sierra Leone. The project which is dubbed   “Comprehensive Eye Care in Sierra Leone” is providing country -wide eye care services over the four year project duration; specifically in Bo, Freetown, Kenema and Makeni.

The USD1Million 4 year project  (2012 – 2016) is implemented by a consortium of our valued sight partners, SightSavers International, Helen Keller International & Christopher Blinden Mission (CBM), in close partnership with the Ministry of Health & Sanitation through the National Eye Care Programme.

Distinguished Ladies & Gentlemen, as we  continue to be ‘Here for good’ in Corporate Social Responsibility in Sierra Leone, the issue of the social usefulness of the private sector especially banks come to the fore once more.

We hope that our commitment will spark further action to eliminate avoidable blindness in Sierra Leone.

Standard Chartered Bank remains committed to building a sustainable business as a bank, simultaneously creating value for our shareholders, supporting our customers and contributing to the communities in which we live and work.

We want to be recognized for being a force-for-good; for the progress of this country, for its people and communities, for the greater success of our customers and for our commitment through good and tough times. That is the only way we would have delivered on our brand promise of being ‘Here for good’.

Thank you

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