The Eye Care Project
Under the direction of Sudanese ophthalmologist Dr. Nabila Radi Elias, who donates much of her services to Together for Sudan, this project has become one of our showpieces for community cooperation. At no charge to patients, at least 3,000 individuals are now examined each year. Recently the Eye Care Project received an official award from the Sudanese Humanitarian Affairs Commission for community service.
Since the project started in 2002 with a one off grant from Christian Aid, a total of over 8,000 individuals have been examined and some 1,000 eye surgeries, mainly for cataract, have been carried out. Two years ago we trained 25 health and hygiene workers and several of these trainees now assist as volunteers during Eye Care outreaches. Most of the outreach sites are in areas where there are no medical services. Attendees at the field clinics are treated for conditions such as worms, burns, wounds, dysentery and skin ailments. Glaucoma, trachoma, eye tumours and eye injury or infection are common. Refugees International Japan (RIJ) funds this project and hopes to continue support for the near future.
RIJ also funded a week long Eye Care Outreach in Kadugli, the Nuba Mountains, in 2006, our first outreach beyond Khartoum. Together for Sudan Eye Care Outreach in Kadugli was continued in 2007 thanks to support from Light for the World, an Austrian charity very active in Africa.
