Marianas Eye Institute receives $231,366 USDA grant

Congratulations to Marianas Eye Institute for winning a $231,366 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development program.  The grant will assist the health clinics on Tinian and Rota to acquire and install vision diagnostic equipment and related computer devices that will connect directly to Marianas Eye Institute on Saipan.  The remote equipment on Tinian and Rota will transmit images from the clinics there to doctors at the Marianas Eye Institute on Saipan for analysis and interpretation.  This should give patients on Tinian and Rota the opportunity to care for their eyes without always having to bear the cost of travel to Saipan.  Congress established this grant program to improve the quality of life and economic stability of communities, businesses, residents, farmers and ranchers in rural America through the use of advanced telecommunications technologies.  99 projects in 34 states were awarded grants this year.