More Than 5,700 Screened for Eye Care in Uganda

Thousands screened in eye care intervention in Uganda.

The Himalayan Cataract Project is working with the Millennium Villages Project spearheaded by Jeffrey Sachs, Director of the Earth Institute, to provide comprehensive eye care in the 12 Research Villages across Sub-Saharan Africa.

An article in Cataract & Refractive Surgery Today summarizes the project

September 008 update from David Siri, MVP/UNDP local partner

Dear All,

Many thanks for your efforts in the just concluded successful eye care campaign in Ruhiira. We screened 4,669 people in the MV1 (over 90% of MV1 population) and 1,095 in the MV2 in 8 days. Of those examined in the MV1, 70% had normal eyes, 11% received reading glasses, 10% received antibiotics, 6% received major treatment like surgery, 3% received distance glasses, and 1% got vitamin A supplements. This exercise had never happened before in Ruhiira and villagers are still in disbelief that they can receive such rare specialized treatment including getting free glasses and surgery.

Special appreciation to Job Heintz and Emily Newick for coordinating this activity and logistics, and to Drs. Bidya Prasad and John Anyango and their team of dedicated eye care professionals for the great job done. Thanks to Dr. Martins Okongo and all Millennium Villages Project team that made this a success.

August 2008 Update

In February, Jeffrey Sachs, Director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University, requested the HCP’s assistance in conducting a pilot study on eye care services in twelve Millennium Research Villages spread throughout Sub-Saharan Africa. The Millennium Villages Project was established in part to prove that successful implementation of the UN Millennium Development Goals is possible in the poorest, most underserved areas of the developing world. HCP has agreed to provide comprehensive eye care in each of the Villages (5,000 per village) and to demonstrate that the costs of these services will fit within the complex U.N. Health Budget for the Millennium Villages Project.

At the end of August, the next intervention will take place in Ruhiira, Uganda led by HCP-trained ophthalmologist Dr. Bidya Prasad Pant, Hospital Director of the Geta Eye Hospital in Nepal. Also participating in the intervention will be Dr. Huckleberry Holz of California, who participated in the first intervention in Bonsaaso, Ghana in July 2007, two ophthalmic assistants from the Geta Eye Hospital, a team from the Mbarara Regional Hospital and University led by Dr. John Onyango and the local MVP office in Mbarara.

The team will conduct a comprehensive needs assessment in the research village of Ruhiira, population approx. 5,100, for eye care and deliver the required interventions including cataract surgery, refraction and distribution of glasses.

For more information on the Earth Institute and the Millennium Villages Project, please visit their websites:

http://www.earth.columbia.edu
http://www.millenniumvillages.org/