.

Diabetic retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy is one of the most frequent causes of blindness in the world, and with a diabetic population of 35 million people, India is facing a huge challenge in preventing and treating this severe complication of diabetes.

According to studies, timely treatment can prevent up to 60-70% of vision loss from diabetic retinopathy. Hence, screening of people with diabetes and training of health care staff in management of diabetes and diabetic retinopathy are crucial preconditions for reducing blindness due to diabetes.  

In an ongoing WDF-supported project, WDF02-039 / WDF04-079, the issue of diabetic retinopathy has already been addressed and with great success. In the region of Tirunelveli in the state of Tamil Nadu 87,900 people have been screened for diabetes, and 19,217 were diagnosed with diabetes. Among these persons, 2,072 were found to have diabetic retinopathy - of these 51% have been treated with laser photocoagulation.

This project is an extension of the activities of the ongoing project in Tirunelveli. Service delivery activities are planned to continue in Tirunelveli region for another 3 years. Moreover, the region of Coimbatore has been selected as a new project area for carrying out awareness activities, screening camps and health care services.

Objective

The aim of the project is to create awareness about diabetes and diabetic retinopathy, screen the population for diabetes and to provide appropriate referral and treatment of diabetes and diabetic retinopathy in two regions in the state of Tamil Nadu, India.

Approach

The project has four main components:

• The current project activities in Tirunelveli region are extended for another 3 years. Continuation of this project will provide a basis for assessing the impact of the awareness and health care activities, as well as validating the service delivery model that has been developed. 
• Awareness, screening and service delivery activities are implemented in the new project area, Coimbatore region. With this, outreach screening camps and availability of services for people with diabetic retinopathy will be extended and cover another 9.8 million people. Together, the activities in Tirunelveli and Coimbatore cover 14.8 million people.
• A high-tech mobile van will be used to screen people with diabetes in rural and underserved areas. With the mobile unit, it is possible to screen people through digital imaging. The results are then transmitted to a reading and grading centre located at Aravind Eye Hospital, Madurai for expert opinion and clinical evaluation.
• A sustainable model for service delivery will be developed, and the experiences gained will be communicated through publications in national and international journals.

The awareness creating part of the project will include distribution of educational materials and pamphlets, conduction of press meetings, seminars and workshops on diabetes and diabetic retinopathy for health care providers.

Furthermore, the project aims to provide training for health personnel at district level and provide appropriate treatment at tertiary care centres. Appropriate treatment of diabetic retinopathy such as laser photocoagulation and surgery will be provided for all patients regardsless of their ability to pay.

Expected impact

• 108,000 people screened for diabetes
• 5,000 people with diabetic retinopathy will receive laser treatment
• 400 general practitioners and medical specialists will be trained in detection and diagnosis of diabetes and diabetic retinopathy  

Project data

Area Partner Project responsible Duration Project budget WDF contribution Project number

Tamil Nadu, India Aravind Eye Hospitals Dr. P. Namperumalsamy  May 2006 - May 2009 USD 764,245 USD 305,636 WDF05-148