Achievements

The Eastern Cape Blindness Prevention Program has succeeded in raising the status of eye health care throughout the province. In particular, the program has built the capacity of six regional and rural hospitals to perform cataract surgery. Achievements include:

Training of Cataract Surgeons

This has proven to be a challenging objective, and The Fred Hollows Foundation South Africa is continuing to review strategies to develop ophthalmic skills in the Eastern Cape.

Barriers to success in training doctors include difficulties integrating training with the full-time work of doctors and the absence of a formally recognised curriculum and training program.

Training of Ophthalmic Nurses

Since 2004 eight nurses have been trained and two are currently in training. The training takes place at St Johns Hospital in Johannesburg.

This training provision has ensured that there are ophthalmic nursing staff in each of the six hospitals. A more substantial ophthalmic nurse training program is currently being developed with Liltiha Nursing College in the Eastern Cape and a curriculum has been prepared for submission to the South African Nursing Council.

Securing Space and Equipment

In early 2007 equipment was provided for Empilisweni Hospital (funded by Goldfields Ltd. Clinic), theatre renovations were completed for Frontier Hospital in Queenstown in November 2004; and clinics and theatres at St Elizabeth’s (in Lusikisiki),  Midlands (Graaf Reinet), Reitvlei and Butterworth were all equipped by December 2005. Space restrictions are an issue, especially at St Elizabeth’s hospital.

Sabona Centre of Eye Care Excellence

Substantial work was undertaken early in 2006 on the design of the the Sabona Centre at Frontier Hospital. Construction commenced in February 2007 and is planned for completion in early 2008.

Construction is being funded by the Eastern Cape Department of Health which is also meeting the costs of the salaries of clinical staff, needed at the Centre. The Fred Hollows Foundation South Africa's responsibility is toward management staff, equipment, consumables and capacity development needs. 

Expanded Availability of Services in the Eastern Cape

Before The Fred Hollows Foundation South Africa commenced projects at Frontier Hospital, eye services consisted of an ophthalmologist visiting one day a month.

Today there are permanent services at Frontier and at St Elizabeth’s Hospitals. In 2006 9,566 patients were screened through these two hospitals and 1,542 cataract operations performed at their associated satellite hospitals.

Ophthalmology Recognised as a Clinical Domain in Regional Hospitals

Previously ophthalmology was only recognised at the tertiary level hospital level, but the province now recognises it at the regional hospital level. This means that the systems are in place to expand the provincial budget for eye care services.