Sebastian Nwosu_Extending eye care services into rural Nigeria
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Transcript Sebastian Nwosu_Extending eye care services into rural Nigeria
Sebastian N N Nwosu
Cyriacus U Akudinobi
Guinness Eye Center
Onitsha Nigeria
Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka
Guinness Eye Center Onitsha
Declaration
No financial interests
Introducton
Eye diseases and blindness are of public health
importance in Nigeria
Political map of Nigeria
Introduction...2
Estimated blindness rate in
Nigeria
Blindness prevalence in
Nigeria
The national blindness & low
vision survey reported in
2008 that 46 out of every 1000
adults aged even 40 years and
above were blind
Position of Anambra State in
Nigeria
Introduction...3
In Anambra State the
prevalence of blindness
is even higher
The rural-urban
migration
notwithstanding,
majority of the populace
still reside in rural areas
Typical village gate
Typical rural house
Introduction...2
Anambra State is one of the 36 states in Nigeria
Divided into 21 local government councils, it has the
Ministry of Health that regulates and oversees health
care delivery especially at secondary care level
throughout the state
The local governments are in-charge of primary
health care activities
Introduction...3
Health care services are provided by both the
government and the private entrepreneurs
However the latter tend to concentrate in urban areas
Generally the rural areas are poorly served
Water source in rural areas
Eye care in Anambra State
There is only one publicly-owned eye hospital in
Anambra State – the Guinness Eye Center Onitsha
Two other sparsely staffed eye units exist in
government run hospitals
Private eye care facilities exist but these are located in
the urban cities
Anambra Strategic Health Plan
To ensure optimal health
for the people the
government drew up the
2010-2015 strategic
health development plan
But this 74-page
document has nothing
on eye care
Previous efforts...
Outreach eye camps...
Poor follow-up
Not sustainable
Ownership taken by
people
Seen as occasional
patronage from
enthusiastic urban
dwellers
Static eye care facility sought
Dissatisfaction with intermittent eye camp programme
led to a shift in approach viz:
Possibility of establishing static eye care facilities in
rural areas:
churches, town unions, influential persons, government
officials were contacted
Collaboration for eye care
In order to bring quality eye care to the rural dwellers
in the state the Nnamdi Azikiwe University
collaborated with Nnewi-South Local Government
Council to establish the Vision2020 eye clinic at Ukpor
This paper reports the experience in the first year of
services in the clinic
Memorandum of Understanding
Idea of establishing the clinic
originated from the
Ophthalmology Dept
Nnamdi Azikiwe University
A memorandum of
understanding (agreement)
between
Nnewi-South Local
Government Council
Nnamdi Azikiwe University
offically ensured the
establishment of the clinic
Stake holders’ responsibilities
Council: To provide infrastructure & equip the clinic
University: To provide ophthalmologists; provide
technical support; train primary eye care workers;
provide clinical services and conduct research
Community: To provide land & security
All: maintain advocacy for the eye clinic
Developmental phases
Community awareness of the clinic’s existence
Clinical services
School eye health
Eye health promotion & education in the community
Self-sustaining services
Replication of the model in other communities
Results
We trained 3 primary health care workers nominated
by council in primary eye care
Publicity about the clinic existence mounted through
de facto leaders in churches, marketplaces, women
fora, town union, village meetings, etc
Clinical services commenced June 2011
Surgical services became available a year later
Results...2
166 new patients – seen; M:F = 1:1.6
Age range: 1-88; mean- 48.8±15.2
Blindness rate: 10.4% (7 male; 7 female)
Visual impairment: 17.7%(11 male; 18 female)
Bilaterally blind led by son
Bilateral cataract
Causes of low vision
Cause
Blindness (%)
Visual impairment(%)
Refractive error
-
13(44.8)
Cataract
10 (71.4)
11(37.9)
Glaucoma
4(28.6)
5(17.3)
Total
14(100.0)
29(100.0)
Clinical diagnosis
Diagnosis
No.
%
Refractive error / presbyopia
61
36.8
Cataract
39
23.5
Irritative/allergic conjunctivitis
35
21.1
Glaucoma
21
12.7
Pterygium
13
7.8
Uveitis
7
4.2
Corneal ulcer
5
3.0
Purulent conjunctivitis
4
2.4
Corneal foreign body
2
1.2
Optic atrophy
2
1.2
ARMD
Diabetic retinopathy
2
2
1.2
1.2
Traumatic hyphaema
2
1.2
Migraine
2
1.2
Retinal detachment
1
0.6
Orbital tumour
1
0.6
Comments
The establishment of the clinic took more than 5 years
of planning & advocacy
At initial stage patronage was low
Patronage improved when the local elite was satisfied
with the services - esp. optical services
Comments...2
Implementation of decisions delayed by
Government bureaucracy
Unstable council leadership (frequent transfers)
Industrial action by council & health workers
Comments...3
Low vision rate, though clinic-based, is high
Causes of low vision - largely avoidable
Most of the blind require cataract surgery
Patients blind from glaucoma presented late
Comments...4
Steady, dependable clinical services as well as
community health education will expectedly
encourage patients to present early
The quality of cataract surgery should not be
compromised – better visual outcome ensures better
uptake
Sustainability...?
Our greatest worry
&
challenge
Sustainability...2
A clinic revolving fund to be established
Sliding scale of fees charged to ensure that the poor
benefits
Sustainability...3
Continuing advocacy
with the de facto leaders,
including government
and the local elite
Future...
Establish such clinics in other local government
councils
Draw 5 year strategic plan for eye care
Hopefully this will form the nucleus of Anambra State
eye care plan
Acknowlegdement...
Mr E Nwabuagha, Former Head of Service, Nnewi-South
Local Government Council, Ukpor, Anambra State, Nigeria
Mr Dubem Obaze, Former Commissioner for Local
Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Anambra State,
Nigeria
Prof B Egboka, Vice Chancellor Nnamdi Azikiwe
University, Awka, Nigeria
Dr Kunle Hassan, Eye Foundation Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria
– for some surgical consummables
Deseret International Inc. Utah USA – for providing
surgical consummables & cataract surgery instruments
Adjourn...
Thanks for listening