International
About the Program
The Fred Hollows Foundation South Africa's Eastern Cape Blindness Prevention Program aims to develop sustainable local capacity to prevent and treat avoidable blindness in Southern Africa and to act as a catalyst for improving the health of Southern Africans, with special focus on rural communities.
Since its establishment the focus for The Fred Hollows Foundation South Africa has been its partnership program with the Eastern Cape Department of Health (DOH). This was formalised, first in the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signed with the DOH in 2001 and more recently with the new MOA signed in November 2005.
The major funding partner for this second broader agreement is The Atlantic Philanthropies, an Irish philanthropic organisation with a strong presence in South Africa.
The key objectives of the Eastern Cape Blindness Prevention Program include:
- Training of cataract surgeons and ophthalmic nurses
- Provision of space and equipment in six hospitals in the province
- Construction and operation of the Sabona Centre of Excellence, the dedicated eye care centre at Frontier Hospital
- Provision of comprehensive eye care services, with an initial focus on cataract and ensuring the development of effective outreach and primary eye care services
- Building effective management, monitoring and evaluation, maintenance and procurement systems