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Eye care project for Eritrea
Belger H.-J.
Augenklinik Ahaus
When one contemplates the limited human and material resources available
as compared to the need in the Third World one concludes that any help
undertaken should be exceptionally efficient. Firstly general guidelines
will be given, which in terms of the worldwide initiative VISION 2020
have for a goal the reduction of preventable blindness. The prerequisites
include: Cooperative partners in the host country, a favorable cost-effectiveness
ratio, help tailored to local conditions, ad as an especially important
factor the continuity of help. This can take the form of long-term involvement
or repeated short-term missions with the help of partners eg. NGO s. After
securing a basic set up the training of colleagues at selected centers
in the developing country by active collaboration should take precedence.
I have worked using these guidelines since 1995 in Eritrea, one of the
poorest developing countries, with 3 ophthalmologists for 4.1 million
inhabitants. The chief causes of blindness there are similar to those
found elsewhere in the Third World: cataract and corneal blindness. With
the organisational support of the Hammer Forum e.V., a helping organisation
for children in war and crisis zones, nearly 500 operations have been
performed and approximately 2.100 patients examined. 69 patients have
been brought to Germany for free treatment, most of them to the Augenklinik
Ahaus. In equipping the operative sector the introduction of laser treatment
of retinal diseases with a solid-state laser was a special advance for
the entire region. This laser project was made possible by the donations
of regional Rotary Clubs and Rotary International. Unfortunately there
remains a great deal of preventable blindness eg. as a result of corneal
scaring and retinal detachment. For the continued success of the eye care
project for Eritrea in addition to continuing planned visits further motivated
and experienced colleagues are above all required.