Taraprasad Das1,2, Peter Ackland3, Marcelino Correia4, Prut Hanutsaha5, Palitha Mahipala6, Phanindra B Nukella7, Gopal P Pokharel8, Abu Raihan9, Gullapalli N Rao10, Thulasiraj D Ravilla11, Yudha D Sapkota12, Gilbert Simanjuntak13, Ngwang Tenzin14, Ubeydulla Thoufeeq15, Tin Win16. 1. L V Prasad Eye Institute, Road #2, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad, 500 034, India. tpd@lvpei.org. 2. IAPB Southeast Asia Region, Hyderabad, India. tpd@lvpei.org. 3. International Agency for Prevention of Blindness, London, UK. 4. IAPB Country Chair, Dili, Timor-Leste. 5. IAPB Country Chair, Bangkok, Thailand. 6. IAPB Country Chair, Colombo, Sri Lanka. 7. VISION 2020 India, New Delhi, India. 8. IAPB Country Chair, Kathmandu, Nepal. 9. IAPB Country Chair, Dhaka, Bangladesh. 10. L V Prasad Eye Institute, Road #2, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad, 500 034, India. 11. Aravind Eye Care System, Madurai, India. 12. IAPB Southeast Asia Region, Hyderabad, India. 13. IAPB Country Chair, Jakarta, Indonesia. 14. IAPB Country Chair, Thimpu, Bhutan. 15. IAPB Country Chair, Male, Maldives. 16. IAPB Country Chair, Yangoon, Myanmar.
Abstract
PURPOSE: The year 2015 status of eye care service profile in Southeast Asia countries was compared with year 2010 data to determine the state of preparedness to achieve the World Health Organization global action plan 2019. METHODS: Information was collected from the International Agency for Prevention of Blindness country chairs and from the recent PubMed referenced articles. The data included the following: blindness and low vision prevalence, national eye health policy, eye health expenses, presence of international non-governmental organizations, density of eye health personnel, and the cataract surgical rate and coverage. The last two key parameters were compared with year 2010 data. RESULTS: Ten of 11 country chairs shared the information, and 28 PubMed referenced publications were assessed. The prevalence of blindness was lowest in Bhutan and highest in Timor-Leste. Cataract surgical rate was high in India and Sri Lanka. Cataract surgical coverage was high in Thailand and Sri Lanka. Despite increase in number of ophthalmologists in all countries (except Timor-Leste), the ratio of the population was adequate (1:100,000) only in 4 of 10 countries (Bhutan, India, Maldives and Thailand), but this did not benefit much due to unequal urban-rural divide. CONCLUSION: The midterm assessment suggests that all countries must design the current programs to effectively address both current and emerging causes of blindness. Capacity building and proportionate distribution of human resources for adequate rural reach along with poverty alleviation could be the keys to achieve the universal eye health by 2019.
PURPOSE: The year 2015 status of eye care service profile in Southeast Asia countries was compared with year 2010 data to determine the state of preparedness to achieve the World Health Organization global action plan 2019. METHODS: Information was collected from the International Agency for Prevention of Blindness country chairs and from the recent PubMed referenced articles. The data included the following: blindness and low vision prevalence, national eye health policy, eye health expenses, presence of international non-governmental organizations, density of eye health personnel, and the cataract surgical rate and coverage. The last two key parameters were compared with year 2010 data. RESULTS: Ten of 11 country chairs shared the information, and 28 PubMed referenced publications were assessed. The prevalence of blindness was lowest in Bhutan and highest in Timor-Leste. Cataract surgical rate was high in India and Sri Lanka. Cataract surgical coverage was high in Thailand and Sri Lanka. Despite increase in number of ophthalmologists in all countries (except Timor-Leste), the ratio of the population was adequate (1:100,000) only in 4 of 10 countries (Bhutan, India, Maldives and Thailand), but this did not benefit much due to unequal urban-rural divide. CONCLUSION: The midterm assessment suggests that all countries must design the current programs to effectively address both current and emerging causes of blindness. Capacity building and proportionate distribution of human resources for adequate rural reach along with poverty alleviation could be the keys to achieve the universal eye health by 2019.
Entities:
Keywords:
Eye care delivery; Southeast Asia; Universal eye health
Authors: Jost B Jonas; Ronnie George; Rashima Asokan; Seth R Flaxman; Jill Keeffe; Janet Leasher; Kovin Naidoo; Konrad Pesudovs; Holly Price; Lingam Vijaya; Richard A White; Tien Y Wong; Serge Resnikoff; Hugh R Taylor; Rupert R A Bourne Journal: Br J Ophthalmol Date: 2014-01-23 Impact factor: 4.638
Authors: J Keeffe; H R Taylor; K Fotis; K Pesudovs; S R Flaxman; J B Jonas; J Leasher; K Naidoo; H Price; R A White; T Y Wong; S Resnikoff; R R A Bourne Journal: Br J Ophthalmol Date: 2014-01-09 Impact factor: 4.638
Authors: Yuddha Sapkota; Najeebullah Alizoi; Abdul Majeed Siddiqi; Mohammad Naseem; Ahmad Shah Salaam; Atiq Ur Rehman; Fabrizio D'Esposito; Taraprasad Das Journal: BMJ Open Ophthalmol Date: 2021-09-02