This is an Avoidable Blindness Project. It embraces the provision of eye equipment to screen for early diagnosis, & treatment of serious eye detectable conditions within the area covered by D3140
The Rotarians Ophthalmic Initiative (ROI) programme supports WHA, IAPB, RAGBP and Vison 2020 programmes by helping to eradicate avoidable blindness by the year 2020, It addresses our clubs' & supporting Districts' collective vision to help 'make blindness history' for many. It supports the Goals outlined by Vision 2020 (India)
India has the second highest percentage of blind people, after Africa in the world. D3140, located in the NW of Mumbai is densely populated containing some 2.5m inhabiltants. In 2004 the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) in Mumbai conducted a baseline survey covering 12,479 households in the tribal blocks of Thane district: It found that 28.4% of the population had a vision disability. Without early intervention, it is estimated that some 27,000 persons will go blind in the District each year.
The project, in part, looks to provide low cost ophthalmoscopes and training for volunteers to screen people in their local communities prior to referral to an ophthalmic specialist. The portable ophthalmoscope will accelerate early diagnoses of both detectable eye conditions, such as cataract, as well as other life threatening conditions, such as impending diabetes, heart desease, brain tumours and cerebral malaria.
The project also looks to fund cataract surgery. The Host club of Mumbai Borivali East has experience in managing projects of this type. It has already organised and sponsored free cataract, with IOL surgeries for some 500 people.
In summary, the project will:
Train & engage representatives of local communities in eye screening proces. It is anticipated that at least 5,000 people, mainly children will be screened during the initial life of the project.
Provide the local communities with some 80 low cost, lens free ophthalmoscopes, as well as a Slit lamp and Applanation Tonometer for use at the Medical Centre in AshokVan.
Fund some 500 cataract & IOL surgeries, free of charge to recipients.
Timescales: Subject to approval of the project, both Host and International partners will plan and monitor completion of the whole within 6 months of commencement. |