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Project :
To give vision through treatment for avoidable blindness of the poor population of Nigeria
Objectives :
(1) The present short term objective of the project is immediate implementation of eye screening camp at different population centers to identify potential patients for Cataract, Glaucoma and Refractive Error Corrections. To operate 1,200 patients for Cataract and Glaucoma surgeries and distribute 3,000 glasses for refractive error correction.
(2) To give one week observership to Ophthalmologists of Nigeria
(no. of Ophthalmologist = 9)
(3) To give one week observership to Optometrists of Nigeria
(no. of Optometrists = 9)
Project Detail :
A survey of blindness and low vision in Nigeria has found that nearly half a million adults in the country are in immediate need of cataract surgery.
Initiated by the Federal Ministry of Health, and supported by Sight Savers, the survey of adults aged 40 and above provides important data about the number of people in Nigeria who are blind and visually impaired, and the causes of this. This information had previously been lacking.
As well as the 486,000 adults across the country who are in immediate need of cataract surgery, other important causes of blindness were glaucoma (a condition where the optic nerve is damaged, often by high pressure inside the eye), corneal scarring and poor procedures for cataract surgery. River blindness and trachoma together accounted for five percent of blindness.
• In Nigeria, over 1,000,000 adults are blind and another 3,000,000 are visually impaired.
• 42 out of every 1000 adults aged 40 and above are blind.
• Overall, two out of three Nigerians are blind from causes which could be avoided, such as cataract, which is the single commonest cause of blindness.
• Blindness is almost three times more common in the dry northern areas (the Sahel) than in southern delta areas. Illiterate participants were twice as likely to be blind as those who were literate.
Extrapolating the data from the survey to the total population, the prevalence of blindness in Nigeria is estimated to be 0.78%.
A new survey of blindness and low vision in Nigeria of adults aged 40 and above has found that nearly half a million adults in Africa's most populous country are in immediate need of cataract surgery.
As in many developing countries, Nigeria suffers from a lack of trained staff and equipment to enable the backlog of cataract operations to be reduced. In this part of Africa, the number of ophthalmologists is less than one per million people.
This data shows the need of eye care services in Nigeria.
project advances the goal of the area:
A team of 12-16 medical and para-medical staff of the Smt. Lilavatiben Mohanlal Shah (Bilimorawala) Eye Hospital, Navsari, go to three-four weeks trip to Nigeria with all required medicines and surgical instruments. During previous eight missions to Nigeria, we have established contacts with local hospitals, private clinics and NGOs to organize eye screening camps for identifying potential patients for cataract and refractive error correction.
HIV and other blood tests are done in the pre screening process. During eight missions, we have screened more than 65,000 patients before the medical team from Smt. Lilavatiben Mohanlal Shah (Bilimorawala) Eye Hospital, Navsari arrives to Nigeria with the help of local Ophthalmologist. Our liaison with State Government Hospitals has also been successful in accessing their infrastructural facilities such as operation theatres, Patient's waiting Rooms and their medical and para-medical staff. We have also established close contacts with local business houses and corporations. They have arranged for our Volunteers' lodging, boarding and transport requirements and have supported us by frequently visiting our campsites as well. Our contacts with State Governors, State Health Commissioners and Medical Teaching Hospitals have been equally successfully. Our continuing contacts with present and past District Governors of Rotary International District 9110 and other Rotary Clubs in each state capital have been equally productive. It is interesting to note, out of eight previous missions to Nigeria, three were financed by The Rotary Foundation and four were financed by private corporations. However, we implemented all nine previous missions under the banner of The Rotary Foundation.
Implementation plan :
We will invite the potential patients for eye screened at pre announced locations through radio announcements, flyers at churches and mosques and sometimes advertisements in local newspapers. This practice has worked successfully in our prior eight missions. Before one week of the camp, team of one Ophthalmologist and two Optometrists will reach to Nigeria. They will start screening the patients at all three destinations i.e. Lagos, Abeokuta and Ijebu Ode.
Once the patients are identified, they are given selected dates to report at local State Government Hospitals. Generally, patients are invited in batches of 20, each batch is pre-screened and to report either for cataract or for refractive error correction. Spectacles are given on the spot to needed patients. Identified patients are prepared and operated for cataract surgery. Patients are called back next day for dressing. They are given black goggles and post operative medicines with all necessary instructions of after care.
Local Rotary Clubs, priests of churches and mosques play an important role in educating the people, particularly informing them all services are free.
Vocational Training :
In reference to the observership to Ophthalmologists and Optometrists, we have planned to give observership to total nine doctors and nine optometrist. Rotary Club Lagos Palm Grove Estate will invite the applications for observership from Ophthalmologists and Optometrists through prior advertisement. They will select the candidates for observership. We will operate at three different places. So, at one place, three doctors and three optometrists will be posted. They will be given SOP (Standard Operating Procedures) manual prepared by the Smt. Lilavatiben Mohanlal Shah (Bilimorawala) Eye Hospital, Navsari during their observership. They will be allowed to operate the patients during last two days of their observership under the guidance of Doctors of Smt. Lilavatiben Mohanlal Shah (Bilimorawala) Eye Hospital, Navsari.
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