Glimpses 2009-2010.pdf - LV Prasad Eye Institute
Glimpses 2009-2010.pdf - LV Prasad Eye Institute
Glimpses 2009-2010.pdf - LV Prasad Eye Institute
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Network of Vision Centres and Service Centres<br />
During the year, our Village Vision Complex (complement of community, primary & secondary eye care<br />
centres) provided eye care services to a total of 973,894 people at these three levels, of whom 844,485<br />
people received care absolutely free of cost.<br />
A total of 535,431 people in 473 villages were covered through door to door community programs, which<br />
included regular surveys and screenings as well as special projects that focus on vulnerable groups such as<br />
children, people with diabetes, etc. Screening programs conducted in 695 schools reached 105,171 children.<br />
Children below 5 years of age were covered through 198 Anganwadi (crèche) programs — 6116 children<br />
were screened for eye diseases.<br />
Our network of 63 primary care Vision Centres across Andhra Pradesh state saw 101,979 outpatient visits,<br />
where visual impairment due to refractive errors is addressed by prescribing glasses. People with more<br />
complex conditions are referred to Service Centres for secondary care. All the community, primary and<br />
school screenings are provided entirely free of cost to the beneficiaries.<br />
Additionally, our 17 Service Centres saw 225,197 outpatient visits and performed 28,603 surgeries. Of these<br />
43% eye examinations and 69% surgeries were performed entirely free of cost.<br />
LDSC support for primary eye care<br />
The Latter-day Saint Charities (LDSC), from Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, <strong>LV</strong>PEI’s long-term partners in<br />
providing primary eye care to underserved communities in rural Andhra Pradesh, have committed support<br />
for establishing 30 more Vision Centres in Andhra Pradesh. This will take the total number of Vision Centres<br />
supported by LDSC to 38.<br />
Capacity building in Africa<br />
An Operation <strong>Eye</strong>sight Universal team led by Ms Pat Ferguson, CEO, met Dr Gullapalli N Rao on March 4,<br />
2010. Also in the delegation were Ms Lynda Cherry, Vice President–International Operations, Dr Boateng<br />
Wiafe, Africa Regional Director, and Mr Kashinath Bhoosnurmath, India Director.<br />
<strong>LV</strong>PEI will extend technical support to the Africa Program of OEU through capacity<br />
building of eye hospitals and training of eye care professionals.<br />
A<br />
FIRST<br />
‘NAMASTE’<br />
TO EYE CARE<br />
‘First namaste to eye care’<br />
A 10-minute film on <strong>LV</strong>PEI’s Vision Centre concept was made by the<br />
Communications Department, Central Audio-Visual Unit and the International<br />
Centre for Advancement of Rural <strong>Eye</strong> care, <strong>LV</strong>PEI. The film showcases the<br />
institute’s work in primary eye care delivery across rural Andhra Pradesh.<br />
First point of access: community workers and vision guardians<br />
Adilabad is one of Andhra Pradesh’s largest tribal districts, characterized by a difficult terrain and unstable<br />
politics. <strong>LV</strong>PEI’s Seshanna Chennawar <strong>Eye</strong> Centre in Adilabad town is one of the few permanent<br />
healthcare facilities that exist in the area.<br />
Sangeetha Pedireddy, now 15, had been coping with vision loss since the age of five due to traumatic<br />
cataract that developed after she was injured by a cycle rod. Her family had ignored the condition, assuming<br />
that any medical intervention would be beyond their reach. Early in 2010, R S Wankhede, a community<br />
worker from the <strong>LV</strong>PEI-ORBIS Pediatric Ophthalmology Learning and Training Centre (POLTC) visited her<br />
village and met the family. A routine screening led him to hope that she had a treatable condition, one that<br />
could be tackled at the Seshanna Chennawar <strong>Eye</strong> Centre. Wankhede assisted the family to make the trip to<br />
Adilabad, where Sangeetha underwent surgery and regained vision—and a part of her childhood!<br />
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