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.