U.S.-based eye hospital trains specialists in Syria

An international medical team, including at least 10 ophthalmologists from the United States, have concluded a three-week training program held in northern Syria designed to fight blindness and other eye maladies, organizers said Sunday.

The training program was held aboard ORBIS Flying Eye Hospital _ a converted DC-10 aircraft complete with operating rooms, volunteer doctors and audiovisual studios _ in the city of Aleppo, about 355 kilometers (220 miles) northwest of the capital Damascus.

Around 190 professionals and 370 patients participated in the training and treatment program organized by ORBIS, a New York-based charity organization. The program which began April 15 was held at the invitation of Syria's Ministry of Health and the Aleppo Eye Specialist Hospital.

"Overall, it was an excellent program, very well organized. We achieved the objectives of the program," said Rida Said, director of the Syrian eye hospital in Aleppo.

Syria-U.S. relations have been strained in recent years because of political differences, but Said said politics "has nothing to do" with humanitarian work.

Drew Boshell, director of the ORBIS Flying Eye Hospital, said he was impressed with "the enthusiasm and dedication shown by our hosts."

The Aleppo Flying Eye Hospital program is ORBIS's third visit to Syria. Syria's President, Bashar Assad, is a British-trained ophthalmologist.

Participants included ophthalmologists and nurses from 15 countries including the U.S., Britain, China, Philippines, India and Egypt.

During the program, more than 80 surgeries were performed and a pilot school screening program aimed at training school teachers on vision testing for school children was launched.