In Indonesia’s West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) province, a group of dedicated women ophthalmologists is leading the fight against one of the world’s highest rates of blindness. The story of their efforts has been captured in a short documentary, “The Visionary Women of Indonesia,” which recently won the top prize in the World Health Organization’s 2024 Health for All Film Festival.
Dr. Siti Farida, who arrived in NTB in the early 1980s as the sole ophthalmologist for 2.5 million people, paved the way for this transformation. Despite initial challenges in a male-dominated society, her persistence has led to a dramatic shift. Today, there are 27 ophthalmologists in the region, most of them women, serving a population of 5 million.
The film, created by the Fred Hollows Foundation, highlights the impact of these doctors and their efforts to address the widespread issue of cataracts and other causes of vision loss. In 2022, a free mass cataract surgery event restored sight to over 1,600 patients in just six weeks.
Dr. Sriana Wulansari, another ophthalmologist featured in the film, emphasized the profound impact of their work. “The reward for me is the best visual acuity for the patient,” she said in the film, as reported by NPR. “They can see, they can work, study and it makes me happy.”
The documentary not only showcases the medical achievements but also touches on the cultural and educational challenges in promoting eye health awareness. Many people in rural areas don’t recognize poor vision as a problem until it becomes severe.
Nalin Narang, the filmmaker, hopes that the film will inspire more female leadership in medicine globally. He said in an interview with Indian Link, “There is a lot more conversation happening. We will quantify how beneficial it is for countries to invest in eye health.”
Read more about the movie:
- Nalin Narang’s film on vision wins WHO award, by Prutha Chakraborty for Indian Link, June 20, 2024
- Prize for the eyes: WHO honors film on Indonesia’s pioneering women eye docs, by Vicky Hallett for NPR, August 2, 2024
Watch the movie: