India

Lead Agency
Sight Savers International

Name of Project
Vishakhapatnam (Vizag) CEC Project

Name of Partner/ Implementing Organisation
· Vizag Midtown Rotary Netra
· Sankar Foundation

Location
Visakhapatnam, Vizhiyanagaram & Shreekakulam districts, Andhra Pradesh

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

The project aims to reduce the incidence of avoidable blindness through promotion of better eye health, the prevention and treatment of eye conditions and the provision of eye care services to a total district population of 9 million. The three districts are among the least developed in the state, the mountainous terrain making communication and transportation extremely difficult. More than half the population is comprised of tribal peoples, most of whom live in mountain villages, and about 75 percent of the total population lives below the poverty line. The literacy rate is very low, and awareness of health services is poor, as most health care facilities are located in and around the district headquarters, very far from the tribal villages. Poor communication and transportation links mean that very few surgeries are conducted in the tribal areas and therefore both incidence and prevalence of blindness in these areas is higher than the district averages.

Over the period the partners will seek to establish a sustainable eye care delivery service and crucially, to raise awareness of eye care among the people of the project area through community programmes and training in primary eye care.

Planned activities include:

• The provision of clinical services to people in the project area through hospitals.
• To provide advanced eye care treatment facilities and increase surgical output by
  establishing a diabetic retinopathy centre and paediatric ophthalmic unit.
• To provide eye care services to all school-age children in the project area by 2006.
• To improve eye care facilities by establishing five vision centres in the project area.

BACKGROUND

Andhra Pradesh (AP) is a unique state in many ways. While many of its cities and towns are industrially active, other parts are remote tribal areas with very poor access to basic services. It was the first state to launch Vision 2020, and has a high cataract surgical rate, however its overall human development index rank is very low at just 23 of 32.

The Vizag Network North was established with the aim of providing Comprehensive Eye Services (CES) to two northern predominantly tribal districts, Sreekakulam and Vizianagaram. The network consists of four NGOs: Sankar Foundation, Society for Community Development (SCD), Community Development Centre and Jana Kalyan Samakhya. The latter three are general developmental agencies who have been working in these areas for several years. The Sankar Foundation provides eye technical services such as screening, treatment at its hospital and follow-up services.

This Vizag Network South was established with the aim of providing CES to predominantly tribal areas in Vishakhapatnam district in AP, a state in south India. This network consists of three NGOs – Rotary Netra Hospital (RN - a charitable hospital), Organisation for Rural Reconstruction (ORRC) and Training and Action for Research (TARA). Both are general developmental agencies who have been working in these areas for several years, but are initiating CES for the first time.

While ORRC and TARA are involved in primary level work such as information, education and communication, primary eye care, rehabilitation, integrated education and referral, RN provides technical services such as screening, treatment at its hospital and follow-up services wherever required.

PROGRESS

The project is on track towards its goal of attaining a sustainable eye care delivery system through the CES network by 2006. Most of its activities are done in collaboration with local communities and through panchayats, schools, the primary health care system and local opinion leaders. Many of them also become involved in local events such as World Sight Day. Eye care committees have been established in many of the project villages with the aim that CES initiatives will continue after SSI financial support ceases.

The project has raised awareness and information levels through education and training events. People are now aware that most blindness can be treated and they know where to access services: also that people who are blind or have low vision have a better chance of life through rehabilitation and other available schemes.

The government has been an active participant in this work, supporting school screening events, the facilitation of Vitamin A, measles immunisation, as well as the deputation of staff for training and participation in awareness events. School screening services have been progressing well through the involvement of teachers.

Expansion of diabetic retinopathy and paediatric units are planned at the Sankar Foundation, to be implemented by 2006.

Besides supporting basic rehabilitation services, the project has facilitated access to government schemes and provided training in income generation activities. One of the network partners, CDC, has good experience with self help groups for disabled people. Last year’s attempt to involve irreversibly blind and low vision people from the project area should bear fruit in 2005.

Most activities are done in collaboration with local communities, with the involvement of bodies such as panchayats, schools, primary health care (PHC) systems and local opinion leaders. Eye care committees have been established in many of the project villages with the hope that CES initiatives will continue after SSI support eventually ceases. The rapport between the four key partner organisations is noteworthy, especially for screening camps in association with Sankar Foundation hospital and the local communities. All partners are confident that of all project activities, it is the screening that will be most sustainable; mainly because of the tangibility, the quality services offered by Sankar Foundation and the support of the local communities in screening events.

HIGHLIGHTS

In its second year, this project has made significant progress towards providing sustainable Comprehensive Eye Services (CES) in these predominantly tribal areas. This is in line with SSI’s core CES mandate.

In August Rotary Netra received a new Yag Laser, which was donated by The Andhra Pradesh VISION 2020 committee. It was inaugurated by the District Collector.

TIMESCALE

2004 - 2006

APPROXIMATE COST (Year 1, 2, 3 & Total)*

US$ 590,000 (see table below for breakdown)

ESTIMATED NUMBER OF TOTAL BENEFICIARIES

Number of beneficiaries receiving sight-restoring procedures: 33,600
Number of beneficiaries receiving other eye care services: 45,000

NOTES FROM THE FIELD

On March 9, John Major and I visited the Sankar Foundation hospital in Vizag, India and witnessed first hand Seeing is Believing in action.

We saw how the services and infrastructure, the trained professionals and more importantly, the patients who require the services, come together to make VISION2020 a reality. It was a most humbling experience as we witnessed the dramatic impact that the project is having on people’s lives. (Please see Simhachalama’s story below)
I wish to thank each and everyone of you for making Seeing is Believing a reality.

Mervyn

» View Simhachalama's Story (PDF, 548Kb)

Information compiled on 20/6/05 by Peter Renew and Katy Dore at SSI, for publication on FundraiseOnline.

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