The project seeks to prevent blindness due to diabetic retinopathy in the Department of Cochabamba.
Expected impact
Establishment of an ophthalmology clinic
5,000 people receiving ophthalmic check-ups
3,000 people with diabetes having retina photographs taken
Results to date
An ophthalmologic clinic has been established in the Living with Diabetes Centre in Cochabamba, and specialist ophthalmology check-up and treatment are being offered to all people who come to the Centre. Prices are well below the private clinics and are set according to the patient's ability to pay.
Around 17,500 people have been informed about ophthalmic check-ups and preventive measures.
44 diabetic retinopathy screenings camps have been conducted.
6,912 patients have had retina photographs taken at the Centre and at camps. 1,636 diabetes patients have received ophthalmic check-ups; 106 cases of diabetic retinopathy were detected; 21 patients received laser treatment and 45 had eye surgery.
Educational material has been produced.
An information and education campaign was launched in the wake of the opening of the ophthalmologic clinic. Since then, 44 campaigns have been conducted in urban and outlying urban regions of Cochabamba. World Diabetes Day was celebrated in 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011.
Project details
In the city of Cochabamba in central Bolivia diabetes constitutes a serious public health problem with an incidence rate at 9.4%.
Basic health care is not widely available to people with diabetes in Bolivia and complications such as diabetic retinopathy largely go untreated and unattended due to a lack of resources. The consequences are devastating both financially, socially and emotionally.
The Bolivian NGO Vivir con Diabetes has been working to improve access to diabetes care for more than 4 years especially among the poor. These endeavours of Vivir con Diabetes have now gained the support of WDF for the prevention of blindness due to diabetic retinopathy.
Objective
The project seeks to prevent blindness due to diabetic retinopathy in the Department of Cochabamba.
Approach
For this project, Vivir con Diabetes has partnered with the Cochabamba Ophthalmology Institute (COI).
Initially, an ophthalmology clinic will be established in the Vivir con Diabetes Centre. The centre will provide specialised care in ophthalmology to all people who attend the centre.
In order to make ophthalmologic care widely available the project intends to set up a mobile unit consisting of a vehicle in which all necessary equipment including a camera for conducting high quality ophthalmologic treatment is present.
Auxiliary staff will be trained to operate the camera. However, the analysis of the retina photographs will be carried out by local ophthalmologists.
A diabetes campaign for check-ups and early diagnosis of complications will be launched. It will be carried out in the Vivir con Diabetes Centre and in all the health centres in the city of Cochabamba providing services to people with diabetes.
Using the mobile unit, the campaign will also include suburban areas and eventually cover the entire Department of Cochabamba. Prior to campaign activities in a given community, it will be announced and advertised in order to attract community members to attend.
The people attending the campaign will receive a thorough examination and when diagnosis has been made each person will be contacted to get the results and proceed with proper treatment. In case laser treatment or surgery is needed among people living in rural areas they will be transferred to the city of Cochabamba for treatment by COI.
In total it is anticipated that 5,000 people will receive ophthalmic check-ups and 3,000 people with diabetes will have retina photographs taken.
Those seeking treatment will be interviewed by a social worker, who will assess their ability to pay for the treatment. Those who can not afford the treatment will receive it free of costs.
In addition, teaching materials such as brochures, banners and fact sheets will be produced. The materials will concern the prevention of diabetic retinopathy and will focus on correct monitoring, avoidance of complications and early symptoms and will also include an advertisement for the above-mentioned campaign.
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