2006 Annual Report
Unite For Sight implements outreach programs to screen for cataracts, pterygium, and other eye diseases. All patients with eye disease are referred to the closest quality eye clinic for diagnosis, treatment, and surgery. This new form of delivery reduces all of the barriers to health care, including financial, transportation, and education hindrances. Unite For Sight's model also. reduces costs and expands the ability of all people to "Unite For Sight" and help in the fight against blindness.
You can help blind adults worldwide whose sight will be restored by a simple 15 minute cataract surgery operation. The support of donors has brought our sight-restoring cataract surgeries to Ghana, Tanzania, Honduras, and India, but we need your help to continue our cataract surgery program in countries throughout the world. Each sight-restoring cataract surgery costs only $50US.
Humjibre, Ghana
In June 2004, the first four Unite For Sight volunteers traveled to Humjibre to screen and arrange for cataract surgeries, educate about eye diseases, and prescribe and distribute eyeglasses and sunglasses. The program, conducted in cooperation with the Ghana Health and Education Initiative, was a great success: Shortly after the volunteers' departure, village members began asking when volunteers would return to address their eye health concerns.
Cataract surgery was provided to 35 Humjibre patients at the Cape Coast Christian Eye Center. Dr. Mark Whiting trained the Unite For Sight volunteers to screen for operable cataracts. The volunteers then applied their knowledge in Humjibre to identify individuals with cataracts and bring them to Cape Coast for cataract surgery. Each cataract surgery, including postoperative care and eye medication, cost $42.Thirty-five cataract surgeries were funded in part by a $500 YouthActionNet Award received by Jennifer Staple and by $1,000 raised at Unite For Sight's "Perspectives: Eyes on Public Health" Conference.
The next group of four Unite For Sight volunteers will arrive in Humjibre on November 1, 2004 to continue the eye health education and cataract surgery program.
"So far people are yearning for the eye clinic to be sort of regular periodic interventions. With those who have had surgery, some had the problem with both eyes. One eye is restored and allowed to heal over time. Once it is healed and vision restored, there will be the tendency to wish that the other eye should also be restored."
-Clement, Humjibre, Ghana
"Unite For Sight's volunteers announced the eye clinic at church and beat the gong gong to spread the word. As the clinic went on for the second week, word spread to other communities, and patients came to the clinic from as far away as two hours. Even after the clinic ended, people brought blind relatives from long distances."
-Alison Polk-Williams, Unite For Sight Volunteer, Summer 2004, Humjibre, Ghana
USAID-funded Program at Buduburam Refugee Camp, Ghana
Unite For Sight received a grant from U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to support its innovative eye care program at Buduburam Refugee Camp in Ghana. In coordination with the local Liberian Refugee-run NGO "Self-Help Initiatives For Sustainable Development" (SHIFSD), Unite For Sight is implementing a comprehensive eye health program for children and teachers in the forty-three schools at the Buduburam Refugee Camp near Accra. The first Unite For Sight Volunteer Team arrived at the refugee camp on December 28, 2004 to distribute eyeglasses, screen for eye disease and coordinate treatment at an eye clinic, implement eye health education programs for children, and implement a Train-the-Trainer program for teachers in the schools. The Unite For Sight volunteers were trained by ophthalmologists at the Christian Eye Clinic in Tema to screen for eye disease and prescribe eyeglasses.
Unite For Sight's program brings eye care to 77,398 children and adults living at the Buduburam Refugee Camp. Unite For Sight volunteers screen for treatable eye conditions, including refractive error, cataracts, xerophthalmia, trachoma, river blindness, and conjunctivitis. In order to provide these much needed services, Unite For Sight has teamed with the local Liberian Refugee-run organization "Self Help Initiatives For Sustainable Development" (SIHFSD) and the newly established Christian Eye Clinic in Tema, Ghana.
Lutee, a woman at Buduburam Refugee Camp, recently received sight-restoring cataract surgery through Unite For Sight's program. When her eye patch was removed the day after surgery, she exclaimed, "I see the trees and the gate to the eye centre...I see the white gate, and I can tell you that it is open. Praise the Lord! His angels have heard my prayers and sent you to help me!"
Early reports indicate that Unite For Sight's Volunteer Team has already provided sight-restoring cataract surgery to 35 previously blind patients. It is anticipated that by August 30, more than 500 cataract surgeries will be provided to those patients with operable cataracts. Eyeglasses and sunglasses are also being distributed to thousands of people, and volunteers are implementing eye health education programs for approximately 19,000 children and conducting Train-the-Trainer programs for 600 teachers throughout the refugee camp's 51 schools.
Tanzania
Unite For Sight student interns in Tanzania prescribed eyeglasses, distributed sunglasses, and educated 5,000 children and adults about myopia, presbyopia, hyperopia, astigmatism, cataracts, glaucoma, vitamin A deficiency, trachoma, and river blindness. Unite For Sight Eye Health Brochures were distributed in schools in Dar es Salaam, Mzizima, Muhumbili, Cambridge, Azania, Iringa, Mbeya, Mwanza, Arusha, and Nyamuswa. A collaboration was established with the taMSA-Tanzania Medical Students' Association and with eye doctors throughout Tanzania to prescribe eyeglasses collected by Unite For Sight on an ongoing basis.
In Nyamuswa, Unite For Sight's intern taught eye health education and prevention in primary and secondary schools. Twenty-two primary school teachers, 60 grade school students, and 315 secondary school students, and 5 secondary school teachers participated in the programs. Additionally, 136 people were screened for cataracts at two eye camps, and 33 were referred for specialty care. Fifteen patients had operable cataracts, while 18 were referred for immature cataracts, conjunctivitis, macular degeneration, occlusions, and other eye disease. Eyeglasses were prescribed to 150 people. The first cataract surgeries were provided to Nyamuswa patients on September 15, 2004. Future ventures in Nyamuswa include continued education programs in schools, coordination of cataract surgeries throughout the year, and an expanded surgery and treatment program within Bunda.
Volunteers will return to Nyamuswa, Tanzania in January 2005.
"My experience in Tanzania this summer was life-changing. It has solidified my commitment to pursue international public health and to reach out to underserved communities who cannot get care on their own. By screening people for cataracts, distributing eyeglasses, providing medications, and teaching eye health in schools,
I gave hope to the village of Nyamuswa. Where advanced, high-tech care was but a dream, I showed that ophthalmic care, and health care in general, can be a reality for them, despite the poverty and lack of access to services. I can't imagine doing anything more worthwhile with my summer."- Sachin Jain, Unite For Sight Volunteer, Summer 2004, Nyamuswa, Tanzania
India - Summer 2005 Cataract Surgery Programs
Four Unite For Sight interns will work with the Dr. Shroff's Charity Eye Hospital in New Delhi, where they have a Department of Pediatric Ophthalmology, Department of Vision Rehabilitation and Enhancement, General Ophthalmology, Cornea, Glaucoma, Occuloplasty, Vitreo-Retina, and OT. Student interns will help in the eye camps, observe in the OPD and OD, and assist in developing patient education literature.
Three Unite For Sight interns will work with Dr. Shroff's Charity Eye Hospital's satellite operations in Alwar. The clinic is in the town, while camp teams go out for cataract screenings every day to villages. Six to seven cataract surgeries will be done each day. Unite For Sight interns will also participate in mother education programs and school screenings.
Two Unite For Sight interns will assist the Simla Sanitarium and Hospital in Pradesh with school and cataract screening camps.