Operation Eyesight Universal

Lynda Cherry, Vice President - International Programmes

and Kashinath Bhoosnurmath

Senior Director, India Programme20 September, 2012

Participation in Development

Engaging Community

Clinically driven models not enough

Outreach programmes Overcoming barriers Promoting health seeking behaviour Strengthening systems

Lessons…

Despite hospital’s long presence, problem of blinding diseases continue to exist

Gaps continue to exist between community, primary and secondary level services

Barriers at community level cannot be addressed by an eye hospital alone

Under-utilization of existing Government infrastructure and service

Sustainability of isolated community eye care programmes is questionable

Eyes must stay SAFE

S = surgery to treat the painful late stage of trachoma

A = antibiotics to halt infection

F = face-washing and hygiene education

E = environmental improvements, including water points and latrines

There is power in water

Helping people ‘own’ their water

A profound impact

Hospital Based Community Eye Health in India

Blend of stand alone community development programme and hospital outreach programme

Pilot launched in 2009 Hospital based but community owned Replicated in 12 locations across India

Approach to Participation

Delineation of hospital service area and

clusters

Community based health workers

Cluster based planning and implementation

HBCEHP: The concept

Secondary Eye Hospital

Vision Centre

C C

C

C

C = Cluster of villages/ community

Community Based Health Workers

On way to elimination of avoidable blindness

Way forward

Elimination of avoidable blindness

PEC integrated into PHC

Strengthened eye care services

Improved eye health

seeking behaviour

Livelihoods/ reasonable wages

Food security

Education

Governance/ safety and security

People’s Participation

People’s Participation

Swaraj and behavioural change