In 1948, when the World Health Organisation (WHO) was constituted, it recognised that one of its fundamental principles was the ‘Right to Health’. Later, in 1978’s Alma Ata declaration, this was reaffirmed. However, until recently, in developing countries, this concept failed to get the much-needed push at the grassroots level, mainly where cataracts and eye issues were concerned. It is only recently, with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the call for action in incorporating eye health with the #2030 InSight drive, that there has been a rise in the end of unnecessary blindness often caused by cataracts.
Tej Kohli Supporting the SDG 2030 Mission.
One of the key partners in the Indian sub-continent supporting the #2030 Insight drive is philanthropist Tej Kohli and renowned ophthalmology surgeon Dr Sanduk Ruit, with their Tej Kohli and Ruit Foundation (TKRF). Though they have started their work in Nepal, the duo intends to offer free cataract surgery across the world to the most underserved nations. Philanthropist Tej Kohli recognises the importance of eradicating cataract-induced blindness for the sustainability of the world. It is for this purpose that he, along with Dr Ruit, has been conducting thousands of eye screenings and cataract operations globally.
However, Mr Kohli also acknowledges that for the SDG 2030 mission to be successful, only TKRF and such foundations will not be enough. There needs to be work done at the grassroots level so that the eye diseases that can be cured are addressed before they turn into permanent blindness, like cataracts.
How Can SDG Drive Be Successful?
The need of the hour in most developing nations, where eye care is not part of the primary health care system, is to set up a regulatory body with dedicated and systematic training that can monitor, educate, and accredit the resources for eye care. It is essential that there be an expansion of eye care services, which include primary eye care, identifying early set-in of cataracts, detecting the potential for blinding conditions, and recognising eye injury.
However, given the limited number of ophthalmologists available in these nations and even a lesser number of them willing to work in rural areas, it is hard to tackle the disorders and diseases that affect vision. Even the ones that can be cured with early detection, like cataracts. Hence, a comprehensive eye-care system needs to be implemented and an arrangement made where sufficient eye-care personnel are available at all the necessary levels. The answer to this is the training of Allied Ophthalmic Personnel (AOP). The programme was started in India and Nepal in 1980 and is believed to be the backbone of the eyecare systems in the countries to some extent.
What Does Allied Ophthalmic Personnel Do?
Allied ophthalmic personnel (AOP) are trained to perform different ophthalmic roles. The training can include working as an ophthalmic nurse, optician, orthoptist, optometric and ophthalmic assistant, optometric and ophthalmic technicians, ocularists, vision therapists, ophthalmic administrators, ophthalmic imagers, or photographers, to name a few. Often, the criteria for becoming or getting enrolled as an AOP vary, like their educational requirements, skills, practise regulations, and scope of practice, depending on the country and, at times, even within the region or state of a country.
However, the curricula are regularly updated in the training of AOP based on the prevalence of eye diseases, the provision of eye care in the region, social structure, and the needs of the region and global communities. This factor makes the AOPs one of the essential members in the eradication of cataract-induced blindness and a better eye-care provider in regions with low resources for ophthalmologists and eye-care facilities globally.
- AOPs are trained to diagnose common eye issues like refractive errors and initiate and process a management plan for them.
- Diagnose conditions that require higher-level treatment and make referrals.
- Help organise and run outreach eye care camps and conduct basic screenings.
- Run camps and initiatives to educate about proper eye care and the prevention of common eye diseases.
- Prepare patients for eye surgery.
- Assist eye surgeons during the surgery.
- Give the patient much-needed post-operative care.
- Conduct an assessment of visual acuity and give prescriptions when needed for spectacles.
It is obvious from the list of things that the AOPs can perform that they can be an essential force in lowering blindness and eye-related diseases globally.
Tej Kohli and Ruit Foundation Training Ophthalmic Students
Nobel-hearted Tej Kohli, often referred to by patients as the ‘God of Sight, Dr Sanduk Ruit, is now training ophthalmic students as AOPs in Nepal. TKRF works with local eye hospitals to increase their impact on the outreach programme. In Nepal, they have collaborated with 10 such hospitals, one of which is Fatehbal Eye Hospital in Nepalgunj.
With TKRF, the Fatehbal Eye Hospital runs an academic programme of training and graduating 40 AOPs, who will be able to implement the detection of eye diseases and issues while providing the basic eyecare system in other underserved parts of Nepal. With the help of the AOPs, TKRF has successfully cured 4,299 people of cataract blindness after screening 35,475 people, and Fatehbal Eye Hospital organised 100 plus eye screening camps. In Nepal alone, TKRF has resorted sight of 7,627 by screening 78,008.
Globally, TKRF has screened 270,158 people and cured 40,024 cataract-induced blindness. The target of the foundation, while being part of the 2030 #InSight Mission, is to cure 500,000 people of blindness and screen 1,000,000 people.
