Outreach Activities

Background:

In the year 1983, it was established named by Lumbini Eye Care Program in a rented room of Bhim Hospital at Siddharthanagar municipality. Currently Lumbini Eye Institute and research Center is considered as national referral hospital in Nepal.     Lumbini Eye Institute and research Center (Shree Rana Ambika Shah Eye Hospital) has been providing outreach Camps since 1983.

Several outreach Program being conducted to reach to unreached Nepalese population this included:

• DST camps (Diagnostic screening and treatment)
• Surgical Eye camp
• Surgical visit
• School screening program / Pediatric eye camp
• Refraction camp
• Low vision camp
• Diabetic Retinopathy camp
• Eye Donation Program
• Community based Trainings and awareness program
• Establishment of Eye care centers

• DST camp (Diagnostic screening and treatment)

This type of eye camp usually we conduct in comprehensive manner in a signle day. In each year we conduct 15 to 20 visists for this camp within the 25 – 50Km in periphery. We do screen for all types of eye problems who come to visit our camps. During the OPD session we select the operable cataract and make investigation for BP, RBS, HbsAg, IOP after this finding if they become eligible, we advised them to go for surgery or we bring along with us at hospital and provide surgery tomorrow morning, and we refer other patients who have other eye problem like diabetic retinopathy, Suspected Glaucoma, complicated refractive error and other problem too.  Usually, we provide subsidy or free surgical service for cataract Patients under support of LEIRC/ CNNJS/Govt/SEVA foundation/Lions Club/Rural municipality and Municipality and other NGOs.

• Surgical Eye camp: In the past day we used to conduct this this type of camp in very remote area of hilly district. It runs for 3 to 5 days; medical team provides surgical facilities in the spot after maintained temporary OT setup.
• Surgical Visit: It is upgraded surgical facilities for outreach in hilly district and we have replaced these facilities with surgical eye camp. Usually, we conduct this surgical visit in our District Eye care centers, where we have permanent OT setup. Required number of cataracts paients is collected in district eye center and they inform to Secondary eye hospital and surgical team visit the DECCs and operated in given time period. They are able to operate 50-60 cataracts in each day. Now a days our surgical visit is continue 15-20 visit each year
•  School screening Program/ Pediatric Eye camp: This program is one of our major outreach programs to prevent Visual impairment and other eye related problem among children. Every year we screened more than One lakh students   from our institiute and our satellite clinics /hospital. More than one thousand five hundred students were benefited with free of cost spectacles. 

Refraction camp: The main purpose of this camp is to identify the near visual imapairment among employee whose age is above 40 years and above of particular industries, factory and mill. After identifying the near vision problem, we do refraction on the spot and provide spectacles. After wearing this glass employee will be able to do near work easily. It can help the employee to increase working efficiency so that profesional life and domestic life will be more comfortable and easier during near work.

• Low vision Camp:  Every year our hospital is organizing 3 to 6 Low vision camps in our catachment area and distributing low vision devices in free of cost.
• Diabetic Retinopathy Camp:

The Nepal Diabetes Association reported that in urban areas diabetes affects approximately 15% of people aged 20 years and above Studies reported Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) in 19-47% of diabetic patients in Nepal, In this scenario, timely and periodic screening is important of Diabetic retinopathy. At present our General ophthalmologist/ Ophthalmic Assistant who are deputed in our eye centers, District eye care centers and secondary eye hospital are reffering to our center for further detail management of Diabetic Retinopthy.  Despite it we are conducting DR screening camps in various area of our catchment area. DR screening has to be effectively integrated into routine care for people with diabetes in all major hospitals in Nepal, through a partnership with eye health service providers. 

• Eye Donation Awareness Program

Eye donation is donating one’s eyes after his/her death. Only corneal blind people are benefitted from donated eyes. Corneal blindness is the loss of sight due to damage in the tissue covering the front of eye called cornea. Eyes of donated person can save the vision of two corneal blind people. We have a seprate eye donation unit which is run by our cornea department.

• Eye Health Orientation Program:

  In the community base, during eye camps and through Primary eye care centers we are providing eye heath education on the PECCs station and camp spot too. we are also conducting various type of orientation/ counseling   and training to our community volunteers like: community female Health volunteers, Mother’s Group, Health post staffs, opinion leaders, members of local clubs.

• Establisment of Eye care center in Rural municipality and Municipality

The impact of the Primary Eye care center in improving the eye care service delivery can be viewed from two different perspectives. From the community perspective, the primary eye care facilities become available at their door steps at an affordable cost. The eye care needs of the local community are better addressed by the ECC in terms of conducting screening camps, education and training programmes. From the providers perspective, the over crowding in the secondary and tertiary centres can be minimized since a lot of primary screening and filtering are done in the ECC. This enables the hospitals to give better attention to the patients who  really need advance care. 
    In short, if well provide, the concept of ECC will surely have a great impact in changing the passive health seeking behaviour of the people of Catchment area adjacent area of neighbor district. This will translate to improved efficiency of the entire eye care delivery system thereby achieving the goals of NNJS / Lumbini Eye Institute and research center and its net work.

List of Eye care centers:

1. ECC Lumbini, Lumbini Cultural Municipality, Rupandehi
2. ECC Siyari, Amuwa, Siyari Rural Municipality, Rupandehi
3. ECC Saina Maina. Sainamaina Municiplaity, Rupandehi
4. ECC Samarimai, Samarimai Rural Municipality, Rupandehi
5. ECC Rohini, Rohini Rural Municipality, Rupandehi
6. ECC Tilottama, Tilottama Municipality, Rupandehi
7. ECC Suddhodan, Suddhodan Rural Municipality
8. ECC Saljhandi, Sainamaina Municipality, Rupandehi
9. ECC Marchawari Rural Municipality
10. ECC Devdaha,Devdaha Municipality
11. ECC Kanchan,Kanchan Rural Municipality

Out of District:

1. ECC Wami Taksar, Musikot Municipality, Gulmi
2. ECC Shantipur, Chandrakot Rural Municipality, Gulmi
3. ECC Simaltari, Mallika Rural Municipality, Gulmi
4. ECC Madane, Madane Rural Municipality, Gulmi
5. ECC Thada, Arghakhachi
6. ECC Chatradev, Chatradev Rural Municipality, Arghakhachi
7. ECC Rampur, Palpa
8. ECC Chahara, Palpa
9. ECC Tinau, Palpa
10. ECC Bhujwa, Sarawal Rural Municipality, Parasi
11. ECC Triveni, Triveni susta Rural Municipality, Parasi
12. ECC Suryapura, Pratapur Rural Municipality, Parasi
13. ECC Banganga, Banganga Municipality, Kapilbastu
14. ECC Pakadi, Mayadevi Rural Municipality, Kapilbastu
15. ECC Bhingri, Swargadwari Municipality, Pyuthan

List of Secondary Eye Hospital:

1. Palpa Lions Lacul Eye Hospital, Palpa Tansen
2. Dr. Binod Neeta Kandel Eye Hospital, Parasi
3. Butwal Lions Eye Hospital, Butwal, Rupandehi
4. Taulihawa Eye Hospital, Kapilvastu
5. Krishnanager Eye Hospital, Kapilvastu

List of District Surgical/Eye Care Center:

1. District Eye Care Center, Gulmi
2. District Eye Care Center, Arghakhachi
3. District Eye Care Center, Pyuthan