Collaborative project to provide better eye care countrywide
EYE Care Guyana, a not for profit non-governmental organization (NGO), recently established to facilitate better related services locally, has started a one year programme to train refractionists.
The initiative is part of the effort to achieve the objectives of Vision 2020 campaign in the Caribbean, as well. The qualified refractionists are to be placed at hospitals and health centres across Guyana to improve services to citizens, said National Programme Manager, Mr. Charles Vandyke.
He said the training will be provided in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, with the aim of increasing access to persons trained to measure the refraction of the eye and determine the proper corrective lenses required.
Vandyke said all the refractionists will be capable of making diagnoses within their communities and, through the undertaking, his organisation would, essentially, take pressure off of Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH).
He said, in addition, the health centres will also be offering spectacles under a low cost programme. Irrespective of their needs, individual adults would be able to secure the glasses for $10,000 and children $6,000.
Vandyke said this service is an extension of those offered by the Low Vision Centre at the GPH, which is also a collaborative scheme with the Ministry of Health and their joint objective is to extend it throughout the Administrative Regions in the country.
Another innovation to be introduced, for facilitating better eye care in the country, is a Bachelor’s Degree programme in Optometry at University of Guyana, to produce more optometrists in the local health care system, he disclosed.
Vandyke said they hope to increase the number refractionists, too, to post one in each region and, eventually, every district.
He added:“The overall goal is to have one optometrist to every 10,000 people, just as it is in the developed countries.”
Eye Care Guyana serves both those with reversible and irreversible sight problems and its vision is to give the gift of sight and create opportunities for those whose cannot be restored.