FedEx and Orbis International Team Up to Expand Access to Eye Care in Vietnam

Federal Express Corporation (FedEx), one of the world's largest express transportation companies, today underscored its long-standing support for Orbis International's work to strengthen eye health systems in Vietnam. Through this collaboration, FedEx helps connect local eye care teams with the global expertise, resources, and learning opportunities needed to build sustainable capacity and expand access to care.

The Orbis Flying Eye Hospital has returned to Da Nang for the fifth time to bring together ophthalmologists, residents, anesthesiologists, nurses and biomedical engineers from hospitals across Vietnam for simulation-based learning, surgical mentoring, supervised clinical care, and exchange with international and local Volunteer Faculty over the following two weeks. These activities will provide valuable hands-on learning opportunities for about 230 participating healthcare professionals, building skills that can help expand access to specialized eye care for communities across Central Vietnam and the Central Highlands.

The project builds on Orbis's three decades of collaboration with Vietnam's eye health community, during which Orbis and local partners have worked together to expand access to care, strengthen institutions, and support the development of local expertise. According to the Ministry of Health, an estimated two million people in Vietnam are living with blindness or vision loss, underscoring the importance of continued investment in professional training and sustainable eye care services nationwide.

FedEx has supported the Orbis Flying Eye Hospital by sponsoring the MD-10 aircraft and providing volunteer pilots who help transport the world's only fully accredited flying ophthalmic teaching hospital to communities around the globe. In Vietnam, this long-standing partnership supports the development of local medical expertise through hands-on training and collaboration, helping improve access to quality eye care long after the Flying Eye Hospital has departed.

"At FedEx, we believe that connecting people goes beyond delivering packages - it is about creating opportunities and helping communities thrive," said Ee-Hui Tan, managing director of FedEx Vietnam and Cambodia. "We are proud to support the return of the Orbis Flying Eye Hospital to Vietnam. Together with Orbis, we are investing in the knowledge and skills of healthcare professionals, helping strengthen Vietnam's eye care system so more patients can access quality care closer to home."

The Orbis Flying Eye Hospital is a state-of-the-art, fully converted aircraft equipped with an ophthalmic teaching facility. This project in Da Nang is part of Orbis's broader model for creating lasting change: investing in people, institutions, technology, and local leadership. Cybersight, Orbis's telemedicine and e-learning platform, is integrated into the project to help participants prepare in advance, consult with global experts, access ongoing education, and continue building skills after the in-person training concludes.

Vietnam is emerging as a regional leader in eye health, with growing strengths in pediatric care, diabetic retinopathy, retinopathy of prematurity, workforce development, and technology-enabled care. By supporting the Flying Eye Hospital, FedEx helps Orbis and Vietnamese partners accelerate progress that is locally led and designed to continue beyond any single project.

"This project is the latest chapter in a long-term partnership to advance Vietnam's eye health system," said Kathleen Sherwin, President & CEO, Orbis International. "FedEx's support helps make the Flying Eye Hospital possible-bringing intensive, hands-on training together with tools like Cybersight so local teams can continue improving care long after the project ends. We are grateful for FedEx's commitment to helping Orbis support local leadership and expand access to quality eye care."

Today's opening ceremony marks another milestone in the long-standing collaboration between FedEx, Orbis, and partners in Vietnam. By helping bring the Flying Eye Hospital to Da Nang, FedEx is supporting a model of training and innovation that strengthens local skills, fosters collaboration and helps build a more resilient, sustainable eye care system that will benefit communities across the country for years to come.