National Refractive Error Program, South Africa
This area was typically very poor and the closest eye care services are 45km away. For many, travel to even the closest health service is beyond reach. But on this day, in only 4 hours, more than 200 local people received eye care services. Of those, 60 walked away with a pair of glasses and 45 were referred to other eye care services.
One of them was James Mkhwanazi. Aged 61, one of his simple pleasures had been to read his bible but in the last 2 years his sight had deteriorated to the point where that was no longer possible.
When James was given a +3.00 pair of glasses for reading, an unmistakable ripple of jubilation crossed the faces of all those around him as he laughed with joy. Seeing an old man get his first pair of glasses is something that gave everyone real pleasure.
The problem for people like James is that while 85% of the population in South Africa relies on public health care, only 2% of optometrists work in the public sector. This means there are only around 50 optometrists to meet the needs of 38 million mainly poor people living in rural areas.
The International Centre for Eyecare Education is at the forefront of efforts to redress this imbalance through their National Refractive Error Program (NREP) – with funds provided by Optometry Giving Sight.
Under this program, private optometrists are recruited to provide part-time services in public hospital clinics. This is done on a formal, structured basis with remuneration for optometrists built into the project. The exam is free to patients. The NREP provides the management, monitoring, evaluation and program development expertise, working with the districts and hospitals to ensure that screening and referral sites are in place and that affordable glasses are made available to the patients.
The NREP clinics are estimated to be able to see 5,000 patients a year. With 24 sites planned throughout the country, it is estimated that nearly 100,000 additional people will have access to services when funding is available and these sites are fully operational.
Longer term, the program will achieve sustainability through training of primary eye care personnel, the establishment of outreach clinics and eye care delivery systems, and the distribution and sale of affordable spectacles.
