Volunteers Needed for Madagascar Sustainable Clinic
February 16, 2016
Two recent graduates from the School of Optometry in Mali are looking to establish sustainable eye care
Read MoreFebruary 16, 2016
Two recent graduates from the School of Optometry in Mali are looking to establish sustainable eye care
Read MoreFebruary 10, 2016
March 5-6 RAM clinic at Southern Virginia University needs volunteers. We will be providing Vision, Dental and Medical care.
Read MoreFebruary 10, 2016
VOSH PA is need an OD for our May 22 - 28 mission to Pont Sonde' Haiti
Read MoreJanuary 03, 2016
Remote Area Medical™ (RAM™) has been sending teams of volunteers to go to Greece to help in
Read MoreJanuary 03, 2016
The Ascenta Foundation is a Canadian charity that performs medical campaigns to remote locations in third world
Read MoreDecember 13, 2015
Support VOSH while you obtian your COPE-approved CE. Sign up for this online January CE event through
Read MoreDecember 13, 2015
VOSH-(Santa Cruz, QC) is looking for more Optometrists and Opticians to join them on their upcoming missions
Read MoreDecember 10, 2015
Kathy Tran's photo (above) was selected by our Facebook visitors as the top photo of more than
Read MoreDecember 10, 2015
WI VOSH is going to Nicaragua Jan 19 - 27, 2016 and we need another OD! Contact
Read MoreOctober 26, 2015
Two optometrists are needed to join a team of 12 medical professionals in providing care for 12
Read MoreVOSH/International believes in the freedom to see. Providing the gift of vision and eye health to people worldwide. We facilitate the provision and the sustainability of vision care worldwide for people who can neither afford nor obtain such care. Our goal is to increase our global impact whenever possible by supporting sustainable eye clinics, optometry schools and optometric educators in areas lacking sufficient eye care.
Updated COVID-19 and VOSH Humanitarian Clinics Advice
VOSH/International recently consulted its US and International Chapters about the feasibility and timing to restart our humanitarian clinics. While the vaccination process continues with different levels of success depending on availability and acceptance, it is evident that vaccine inequity and the availability and reliability of data in several countries are issues we need to consider.
Even if already vaccinated and boosted, our chapters are still concerned about the wellbeing of our volunteers and patients. Some chapters, are organizing clinics locally where they are better able to comply with the existing safety requirements and respective state/country regulations.
The COVID-19 pandemic and its variants are being experienced quite differently depending on state, region, country, vaccine availability, vaccine acceptance, and the spread of SARS-COV-2 variants. Most VOSH chapters are not holding clinics or traveling internationally in 2021 or 2022.
If a VOSH Chapter choses to hold a clinic or travel internationally, we highly recommend that the chapter performs due diligence to comply fully with the requirements established by the visited country, ensures all VOSH volunteers are aware of and follow strict safety guidelines and all existing protocols and regulations of the country, and keeps the principle of “do no harm” embedded in all its decision making. As always, the wellbeing and safety for VOSH volunteers and our patients is of utmost importance and central to any decision-making process. We have published our updated clinic guidelines with best practices to be observed in this new context. VOSH chapters in specific countries are using protocols that need to be considered as well. You can download VOSH/International clinic guidelines here.
*VOSH/International is formed by autonomous US and international chapters that are fully and only responsible for their activities, fundraising and decision-making. VOSH/International can only provide recommendations based on our best knowledge and information at the time.
Also please keep checking the following sites with official and most recent updates:
World Health Organization: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019
US CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/when-to-delay-travel.html
US Government Travel Advise: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/COVID-19-Country-Specific-Information.html
Thank you for your hard work and dedication to improving vision and eye health throughout the world.
Michael Ciszek, OD, dipl ABO, FVI
President, VOSH/International
December 2021