J Blair
Pakistan Eye Camp
Fundraising for The Well Foundation
Story
The WELL foundation eye camp programme
The Need
IRIN (Integrated Regional Information Networks) is an award-winning humanitarian news and analysis service covering the parts of the world often under-reported, misunderstood or ignored. In a recently published report which outlined the work carried out by agencies and charities IRIN highlights a grave issue in Pakistan.
There are approximately four million blind people in Pakistan, 1.5 million in the Punjab region alone. If proper measures are not taken, that figure will reach three million by the year 2020.
With cataracts accounting for 66 percent of all blindness and glaucoma 12 percent in the nation of 150 million, the need to improve preventative care is undeniable.
There is a lack of human resources, coupled with a lack of training facilities for qualified ophthalmologists the prevention measures are difficult to put in place.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a ratio of one ophthalmologist per 100,000 population, Pakistan has only one eighth of the required number.
Compounding the problem further is a lack of the necessary infrastructure combined with little modern technology at the district level. Poorly maintained equipment and the absence of any referral chain along with a lack of motivation, advocacy, awareness or monitoring and evaluation, also play a part in the problem.
Still another cause for the country's high prevalence is that there is no system for the prioritisation of need, whether it be sufferers from glaucoma, cataracts or diabetes-related blindness.
The Project
The Well Foundation this year will be launching it what it hopes will be its annual eye camp programme. The first project will benefit the struggling in Pakistan; specifically the eye camp will provide care from the town and district of Toba Tek Singh. Toba Tek Singh is located in central Punjab and occupies 3252 square kilometres and is made up of large areas of lowlands
According to the 1998 census of Pakistan the population was 805,580 of this, 520,601 were Muslim and 284,979 were non-Muslim (mainly Christian). According to the 2008 estimate the population had risen to 1.39 million.
The district has several hundred surrounding villages and small communities. There are varying levels of employment in these mostly rural areas, the bulk of the people work the land or are labourers. Many thousands are without work and rely on support from families, hand outs from local communities or the occasional labouring job. The densely populated main town offers most amenities. However a greater percentage of the surrounding population will never make it beyond their villages or small communities due to the lack of resources and funds for travelling, they will purchase or barter in the local village shops.
In a population over 1 million people in the district there are many thousands who struggle for basic care and medical help. Those who suffer from cataract suffer greatly as care can be unreachable and expensive, families and the individuals suffering will struggle on until it is too late and they lose their sight completely.
The well foundation has offered the eye camp to the needy through the course of multiple sessions spread out across the year.
The care package which will be provided by the well foundation will include:
Medical care / Operation – this may be cataract removal or lens replacement. In some cases an operation may not be required individuals may be suffering from severe infections, these will also be treated.
|
After Care – All medicines for recovery for 1 month’s duration and in cases where more than 1 month’s medication required this will be fulfilled. If glasses are required these will be provided.
|
Travel – Each patients travel costs will be provided for travel to and from the clinic back to their homes; in certain cases bus or taxi service will be sent to collect patients. The cost of the full care will vary with each patients needs; based on current costs and requirements the complete care can be provided with a minimum spend of £50 and a maximum spend of £70 per person. These small amounts will make huge life changing differences to the struggling and vulnerable people of this region. |
The medical care and operations will be carried out in Toba Tek Singh by Dr Zahid Sattar and his medical staff at the following location:
Eye clinic Akaal Wala Road
Chang Road, Toba Tek Singh
Our first programme will be rolled out at this clinic, based on the success of this programme and the further need identified during course of this project the well foundation hope that in the future they can implement eye camp care through mobile medical centres in the rural areas.