Improving Eye Care in Tribal Heartlands in India

India

The goal of the project was to eliminate avoidable blindness in 7 districts (Chittaurgarh, Banswara, Pratapgarh, Dungarpur, Udaipur, Dahod and Barmer) in the Tribal and desert Heartland of Western India by year 2020. The project was completed and the overall assessment of the project implementation was satisfactory. The Grant supported a five year programme benefitting poor and marginalised communities. Sightsavers is delighted to report that there has been significant over-achievement in the majority of treatment targets. The project has provided 46,566 sight restoring cataract surgeries against a target of 24,790 and benefitted 781 people who received surgery for glaucoma. The project also facilitated surgeries for 606 children and supported 2,106 people to receive diabetic retinopathy treatment, which is beyond the target of 300. This was achieved due to a targeted diabetic retinopathy project in Dahod and Banswara districts. The project targeted poor tribal men, women and children living in the remote and underserved areas of the tribal zones. The tribal zone comprises Dahod district in Gujurat, Banswara, Chittorgarh, Pratapgarh, Udaipur and Dungarpur districts in Rajasthan and the desert district constitutes of Barmer in Rajasthan. The project directly benefitted 134,212 adults and 93,940 children through outreach screening camps, referral, treatment and follow-up activities and will have a wide reaching impact on the entire population of 9 million residents of the 7 districts by increasing the demand and accessibility of eye care services in the region. This includes: • 134,212 people were screened to detect eye problems through outreach activities and benefited from increased awareness on the causes of blindness, treatment and availability of services. • 46,566 adults benefited from cataract surgeries • 781 patients treated for glaucoma surgeries • 606 children benefitted from paediatric surgeries • 2,106 patients treated for Diabetic Retinopathy • 93,940 children were screened in schools to detect eye problems • 30,772 persons prescribed spectacles In addition, hospitals benefited from trained ophthalmologists; and equipment which increased access to ophthalmic services in the three districts. Since the start of the project a total of 1,880 community level members were trained on primary eye care including community health workers, volunteers, school teachers and local governance representatives. Over the five years a total of 1,449 camps have been supported and 134,212 people benefitted from eye screening.