Glimpses 2009-2010.pdf - LV Prasad Eye Institute

Network of Vision Centres and Service Centres
During the year, our Village Vision Complex (complement of community, primary & secondary eye care
centres) provided eye care services to a total of 973,894 people at these three levels, of whom 844,485
people received care absolutely free of cost.
A total of 535,431 people in 473 villages were covered through door to door community programs, which
included regular surveys and screenings as well as special projects that focus on vulnerable groups such as
children, people with diabetes, etc. Screening programs conducted in 695 schools reached 105,171 children.
Children below 5 years of age were covered through 198 Anganwadi (crèche) programs — 6116 children
were screened for eye diseases.
Our network of 63 primary care Vision Centres across Andhra Pradesh state saw 101,979 outpatient visits,
where visual impairment due to refractive errors is addressed by prescribing glasses. People with more
complex conditions are referred to Service Centres for secondary care. All the community, primary and
school screenings are provided entirely free of cost to the beneficiaries.
Additionally, our 17 Service Centres saw 225,197 outpatient visits and performed 28,603 surgeries. Of these
43% eye examinations and 69% surgeries were performed entirely free of cost.
LDSC support for primary eye care
The Latter-day Saint Charities (LDSC), from Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, LVPEI’s long-term partners in
providing primary eye care to underserved communities in rural Andhra Pradesh, have committed support
for establishing 30 more Vision Centres in Andhra Pradesh. This will take the total number of Vision Centres
supported by LDSC to 38.
Capacity building in Africa
An Operation Eyesight Universal team led by Ms Pat Ferguson, CEO, met Dr Gullapalli N Rao on March 4,
2010. Also in the delegation were Ms Lynda Cherry, Vice President–International Operations, Dr Boateng
Wiafe, Africa Regional Director, and Mr Kashinath Bhoosnurmath, India Director.
LVPEI will extend technical support to the Africa Program of OEU through capacity
building of eye hospitals and training of eye care professionals.
A
FIRST
‘NAMASTE’
TO EYE CARE
‘First namaste to eye care’
A 10-minute film on LVPEI’s Vision Centre concept was made by the
Communications Department, Central Audio-Visual Unit and the International
Centre for Advancement of Rural Eye care, LVPEI. The film showcases the
institute’s work in primary eye care delivery across rural Andhra Pradesh.
First point of access: community workers and vision guardians
Adilabad is one of Andhra Pradesh’s largest tribal districts, characterized by a difficult terrain and unstable
politics. LVPEI’s Seshanna Chennawar Eye Centre in Adilabad town is one of the few permanent
healthcare facilities that exist in the area.
Sangeetha Pedireddy, now 15, had been coping with vision loss since the age of five due to traumatic
cataract that developed after she was injured by a cycle rod. Her family had ignored the condition, assuming
that any medical intervention would be beyond their reach. Early in 2010, R S Wankhede, a community
worker from the LVPEI-ORBIS Pediatric Ophthalmology Learning and Training Centre (POLTC) visited her
village and met the family. A routine screening led him to hope that she had a treatable condition, one that
could be tackled at the Seshanna Chennawar Eye Centre. Wankhede assisted the family to make the trip to
Adilabad, where Sangeetha underwent surgery and regained vision—and a part of her childhood!
Excellence Equity Efficiency Page 22
F_Inside_Pgs.indd 22
9/2/2010 12:29:43 PM