Himalayan Cataract Project E-News: May 2011Here you will find news on our latest international eye care activities. This month’s newsletter includes:
- High-volume care in Ethiopia
- Two high-volume cataract workshops
- Oculoplastic workshop at Quiha
- KATH doctor attends pediatric conference
- HCP Co-Director Dr. Geoff Tabin’s speaking events
- University of Southern California
- University of Utah’s School of Medicine Commencement
- MountainFilm in Telluride
- San Francisco Marathon rapidly approaching
High-volume care in Ethiopia | | 
Matt Oliva, Charity Oppong, nurse from Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Ghana, and the ophthalmic nurses from Quiha.
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The need for eye care in Ethiopia is great. In the northern region of Tigray with a population of 5 million, the prevalence of blindness is 1.6%. The current surgical rate, approximately 6,000-7,000 cases per year, is merely keeping pace with the number of new cases each year. It is not sufficient to address the backlog of approximately 40,000 cases. This is sobering given that Tigray has one of the highest surgical rates in the country.
“Future challenges are considerable but our opportunity to effect change in this region are massive. I met a large cadre of young, bright ophthalmologists and nurses eager for improved supplies, equipment, training, and to participate in outreach.” —Dr. Matt Oliva, Himalayan Cataract Project ArbaminchIn late April, HCP Board Member Dr. Matt Oliva joined HCP Fellow Dr. Yewubnesh Hailu at Arbaminch Hospital in southern Ethiopia, a secondary eye center supported by the government and Light for the World. The clinical team consisted of Dr. Oliva, volunteer ophthalmologist Dr. Sam Cady, Dr. Yewubnesh, Dr. Tilahun Kiros from Quiha Zonal Hospital and six nurses from Quiha. The team completed 509 eye surgeries in five days.
HCP sponsored Dr. Yewubnnesh Hailu for high-volume SICS training in Nepal in 2010 and Dr. Oliva worked with Dr. Yewubnesh last summer while National Geographic Poland did a special highlighting women helping women all over the world. (See our November 2010 newsletter.)
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Post-operative patients at Arbaminch.
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Quiha Zonal HospitalAt Quiha, Dr. Oliva worked with Dr. Tilahun Kiros and his team, HCP volunteer ophthalmologist Dr. Ryan Isom and Charity Oppong, an ophthalmic nurse from Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Ghana. Patients traveled from as far away as the Eritrean border. Over a nine-day period in early May, the team provided 950 surgeries. The team stopped at 950, as they ran out of surgical supplies.
With HCP support, Dr. Tilahun Kiros and his team have become one of the highest volume cataract centers in the country, garnering huge interest from the Ethiopian ophthalmic community who want to witness firsthand “how can you provide services for so many people.” Click the image below to view the “High-Volume Workshop in Ethiopia” video of the post-operative exams at Quiha Zonal Hospital in Mekelle.
Oculoplastic workshop at Quiha | | 
Dr. Spitellie and Dr. Tilahun Kiros Tilahun doing a DCR.
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In April, HCP volunteer ophthalmologist Dr. Pete Spitellie traveled to Quiha for a seven-day visit. Dr. Spitellie specializes in ophthalmic plastic and reconstructive surgery, also known as Oculoplastics. Dr. Spitellie worked with Dr. Tilahun and Dr. Yared, the head of ophthalmology training program in Gondar to perform 26 corrective eye surgeries, including 15 DCRs (dacryocystorhinostomy), which is a surgery to re-route a tear drainage blockage.
Dr. Tilahun assisted the first four cases of DCRs and was later able to perform them by himself. Dr. Tilahun was left with the medical instruments donated by HCP so he can continue to provide this method of surgery. KATH doctor travels to South Africa for pediatric conferenceIn early May, ORBIS International hosted an international conference entitled “Planning for Comprehensive Eye Care for Children in sub-Saharan Africa,” focusing on developing a comprehensive model for managing avoidable childhood blindness in the region. The workshop brought together representatives of NGOs and experts in pediatric eye care including ophthalmologists, optometrists and public health professionals to develop a strategic plan and explore ways of mobilizing funds to reduce avoidable childhood blindness in sub-Saharan Africa.
“The key to achieving comprehensive pediatric eye care is the development of a pediatric tertiary eye centre within a catchment population of about 10 million. This involves creating a child friendly eye unit; training a pediatric team; provision of appropriate equipment and consumables; and establishing proper linkages with the primary and secondary levels with efficient case finding systems and creation of community awareness and school screening systems.” —HCP Fellow Dr. Peter Osei-Bonsu, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH)
Follow this link to read the presentations from the conference. HCP Co-Director Dr. Tabin and fellow climber speak at USC | | 
Conrad Anker (left) and Dr. Geoff Tabin. Photo by Ryan Ball.
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HCP’s Dr. Geoff Tabin and fellow adventurer Conrad Anker were featured in early May in The Weekly, a newsletter published by University of Southern California (USC) Health Sciences. The duo spoke about the Himalayan Cataract Project at USC’s Keck School of Medicine on April 26.
In the past, Anker has joined HCP on outreach events in the Himalaya and he was involved in producing the documentary called “Light of the Himalaya.”
The Weekly article reported: “Conrad Anker and Geoff Tabin are two of the world’s foremost adventure seekers. Each has made several death-defying climbs of the world’s highest peaks. And yet when they came to the Keck School of Medicine on April 26 to speak at Aresty Auditorium, their most emotional stories were about the people they’ve helped through the Himalayan Cataract Project.” Open this PDF (1.7Mb) to read the full article. Dr. Tabin gives commencement address to University of Utah School of MedicineOn May 20th, Dr. Geoffrey Tabin gave the commencement address to University of Utah’s School of Medicine. This is only the second time that the graduating class has selected one of their own professors to speak at the commencement (the first time was also Dr. Tabin).
Dr. Tabin closed his remarks with: “Congratulations class of 2011! Keep your hearts open to serendipity, seize on opportunity. Live your passion! I am very, very proud and excited for all of you. The world is in good hands.”
Open this PDF (158Kb) to read the complete commencement address, which is titled “Passion.” The San Francisco Marathon is fast approachingHCP is sponsoring the San Francisco Marathon to raise awareness of preventable blindness in the developing world. We will have a tent at the event — please come out to meet the HCP team on July 31st in San Francisco.
The Himalayan Cataract Project works to eradicate preventable and curable blindness through high quality ophthalmic care, education and the establishment of a world-class eye care infrastructure.
Please visit our Web site at www.cureblindness.org to keep up with the latest HCP news. There you will also find information on HCP’s finances, its founders, staff and board members, and ways that you can give the gift of sight.
Remember, through the Himalayan Cataract Project it takes a gift of only $20 to provide life-changing cataract surgery to someone struggling with blindness in the developing world. |
