Himalayan Cataract Project 2017 Annual Report
We are pleased to share the Himalayan Cataract Project 2017 Annual Report, capturing a truly transformational year in which we reached more patients and trained more eyecare providers than ever before.
See the 2022 Annual Report here »
Together with our partners, in 2017, we reached over 1.5 million people with screening and basic treatment – including over 115,000 sight-restoring surgeries. In addition, we supported training opportunities for 315 eye care personnel from countries across the world including Nepal, Ghana, Ethiopia, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Indonesia, Uganda and Tanzania.
Early in the year, the Himalayan Cataract Project was named one of eight semi-finalists out of 1,904 applicants - the top .5% - in the MacArthur Foundation’s 100&Change competition, for promising real and measurable progress in solving a critical problem of our time. By outlining how we will scale eye care in Ethiopia, Ghana, and Nepal over the coming five years, we created a blueprint for eliminating cataract blindness globally. Despite strong public support from the BBC and others, HCP did not advance as one of the four finalists. Nevertheless, the competition provided a major endorsement of our work and raised awareness of a global health problem that we can solve. As a result, we are aiming higher than we have ever aimed before.
Throughout the year, we continued to advance high quality eye care and restore sight at a record-setting pace, providing 30% more screenings and treatments than in 2016. We continued to train the next generation of highly skilled ophthalmologists, nurses and technicians, increasing the number of training opportunities. Highlights from our country programs include:
Nepal: Our partners at the Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology examined over 580,000 patients and provided 28,632 surgeries this year.
Ethiopia: Our direct care for hard to reach patients continued to increase. Ten years ago, we provided 759 surgeries, and in 2017, we supported 16,575 outreach cataract surgeries.
Ghana: We established a new National Cataract Outreach Program, and HCP’s partner institutions provided care to over 100,000 outpatients, including approximately 5,500 surgeries.
Bhutan: We broke ground in October on a new 17,750 square foot National Eye Hospital, with an anticipated completion date in 2019.
Millions of viewers became aware of our efforts through the lens of 60 Minutes, underscoring the impact of our work and our model. Co-founders Drs. Sanduk Ruit and Geoff Tabin were also awarded the 2017 Einstein Genius Award, as two of the top 100 visionaries in the last century.
We take great pride in our financial efficiency and accountability. We know you expect us to use your funds wisely, and we are committed to maximizing the value of every donation we receive, directing those funds where they are most needed.
