Pakistan's Dr. Rubina Gillani named Eye Health Hero(ine)!

World-leading Australian NGO, The Fred Hollows Foundation (FHF) has nominated its tireless Country Manager for Pakistan as an IAPB 9th General Assembly Eye Health Hero(ine)

Eye Health Heroes is an initiative by the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness. All IAPB member organisations (including virtually every major international NGO working in eye health, professional bodies for ophthalmology and optometry, and disabled persons' organisations worldwide) are encouraged to nominate and sponsor an eye health hero to attend the IAPB 9th General Assembly (9GA) in Hyderabad, India, September 2012. At 9GA, these 'heroes' will have the opportunity to meet the world’s leading thinkers in blindness prevention, to survey systems at the award-winning LV Prasad Eye Institute, and participate in the Assembly's many ceremonies or gala events.

Dr Gillani is a medical doctor and public health specialist. Her role as Country Manager, which she started in 1998, means there is a lot of managerial work to do but Dr Gillani still sees herself as a 'field worker'.

Dr Gillani spends half of her time in the office and the other half travelling extensively throughout Pakistan. Often she needs to travel up to twelve hours to get to a remote community. During this time she does most of her observing; of women and children and of the poverty apparent throughout the country. "Reaching the population of Pakistan is not easy," says Dr Gillani."It is also very hard to change attitudes. The Foundation has come out with a multi-pronged approach. We have trained the doctors, held eye clinics, used accredited facilities and introduced quality into the recipients' perspective... That has been challenging."

Dr Gillani is crucial to The Fred Hollows Foundation's programme in Pakistan. Without her determination, strength, knowledge and ability to 'get the job done', the success of FHF's work so far would not have been possible. "Besides doing my job working towards reducing cataract blindness rates, I feel that in a country like Pakistan where it is very different and conservative, I am also working towards the cause of women," says Dr Gillani.

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Register for 9GA here.
Please write to Alessandro Di Capua at adicapua@iapb.org to nominate your hero, or for more information on the programme.

Ethiopia's Dr Alemayehu Sisay is Eye Health Hero!

Ethiopia's Dr Alemayehu Sisay MD is IAPB's first Eye Health Hero.

Eye Health Hero is a novel initiative by the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) where all member organisations (including virtually every major international NGO working in eye health, professional bodies for ophthalmology and optometry, and disabled persons' organisations worldwide) are encouraged to nominate and sponsor an eye health hero to attend the IAPB 9th General Assembly (9GA) in Hyderabad, India, September 2012. At 9GA, these 'heroes' will have the opportunity to meet the world’s leading thinkers in blindness prevention, to survey systems at the award-winning LV Prasad Eye Institute, and participate in the Assembly's many ceremonies or gala events.

ORBIS, the international sight-saving organisation has nominated Programme Manager and Ophthalmologist, Dr Alemayehu Sisay MD, as ORBIS's Eye Health Hero.

Working in southern regions of Ethiopia to tackle trachoma, Dr Sisay's work is tireless and incessant. Dr Sisay is a hands-on Programme Manager, travelling to rural areas and remote health points. As an ophthalmologist himself he assesses projects, makes recommendations and assists with the continued professional development of the eye care professionals working to eliminate trachoma.

Such is his passion for the cause and his overriding sense of duty, Dr Sisay stops people in the street if he sees they or their children have symptoms of trachoma. He examines them and directs them to the nearest source of help, all whilst on his way to meetings or programme assessments.

Image: Zithromax antibiotics distribution. Copyright ORBIS, Raul Vasquez

Ensuring that trachoma is eliminated in the southern region of Ethiopia is our goal and using the WHO SAFE strategy we are making great inroads.

Dr Sisay has also been doing cataract surgery in remote rural health facilities, which was the first of its kind. This approach had made cataract surgical services accessible and affordable to poor and needy rural communities. This approach has evolved into SECUs' being established in rural projects. Moreover, he has been training nurses on basic refraction to perform school screening, and provision of spherical lenses for school children.

Image: Ethiopia - Trachoma in Gamo Gofa. Copyright Raul Vasquez 2002

ORBIS is proud to celebrate Dr Sisay, in Ethiopia and across the world, and all those doing fantastic work to eliminate avoidable blindness in developing countries, at the IAPB 9th General Assembly in India, 2012.

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Register for 9GA here.
Please write to Alessandro Di Capua at adicapua@iapb.org to nominate your organisation's hero, or for more information on the programme.

Moving Towards VISION 2020 in Niger State - Dr. Isah Jibril

Dr Jibril was in London last week to present the findings of his project, and to mark his successful completion of the MSc in Community Eye Health at the International Centre for Eye Health at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. He kindly

contributed the following to our blog:

As Coordinator of the Eye Care Programme in Niger State, Nigeria, I have a big remit to carry forward the VISION 2020 objectives of my State.

Niger is the largest of Nigeria's 36 states, with a population of 4.5 million people spread across 12 million acres - 40% of which is water, and getting around the State can be a challenge! Around 80% of people in Niger State make their living through agriculture or fishing. It is not an affluent population, and blindness or vision impairment can have a big impact on a family.

According to the Nigerian Blindness Survey which took place between 2005-07, around 25,000 people in Niger State are bilaterally blind, 13,500 from cataract alone. Around 1,200 more people go blind from cataract every year - a daunting prospect for our Eye Care service.

In addition, 21 of the 25 local government areas receive annual ivermectin treatments to address the persistence of onchocerciasis or 'river blindness' in Niger State. This was the focus of my project for the MSc - examining coverage and outcomes from the ivermectin distribution programme.

Looking at the situation holistically, if nothing is done in the next five years, Niger State is likely to have around 17,000 people blind from cataract alone. For us to be able to plan according to VISION 2020 guidelines will be essential to addressing this situation. I believe that with a well-drafted plan in place, we will be able to make a real difference.

Before embarking on this training, as a clinician I could devote only 30% of my time to prevention of blindness in the community. Since taking the CEH course, I spend up to 80% of my time on community ophthalmology - a much better way to benefit more people.

One of the most important challenges we faced before was achieving the inauguration of a state Committee for Prevention of Blindness. When I returned from the course in September 2010, I swung into action with advocacy visits to policy-makers at State level, and at last the Committee was formed in November last year. The effect has been felt already, with government support for positive policy changes for eye care.

Another challenge now is to convince eye health NGOs to work with us in Niger State. At present, apart from UNICEF which is involved in ivermectin distribution, no NGO supports eye care programmes in my State. I hope that the development of an effective State action plan for eye care will attract NGO support. I hope eye health NGOs will take note of this message - Niger state could be a great opportunity for them to help make a big difference!

When I return home, an urgent priority will be to contact several eye health NGOs, both in Nigeria and here in the UK, to partner with the Niger State Eye Care Programme, and help us to achieve our VISION 2020 goals.

I am grateful to Almighty God, and also to my Mentor Dr. Abdullah Usman Imam at Niger State MoH, whose support and guidance have helped me lay the foundations of my career. Dr. Imam took the MSc in 2003, and the State Govt generously supported my training so that I may follow in his footsteps.