A MODEL OF EYE CARE SERVICE IN THE EASTERN REGION OF NEPAL

Abstract

Mechi Eye Care Center was established in a rented building in Nov. 1996 with the help of Eye Care Himalaya, The Netherlands. In the last four and half years patient flow has increased gradually and the present facility is stretched to the limit. Provision of efficient and good quality treatment, close monitoring on attainment of good surgical quality and visual outcome are the main aims of this eye centre. Community involvement (such as active participation in screening camp and land donation for new proposed eye hospital) has been exemplary. Trained Ophthalmic assistants are fully utilized thus enabling Ophthalmologists to devote their time in surgery and examination of referred patients. Preventive maintenance of instruments & equipment is a routine practice in this eye center. It is facing the problem with the space and the human resources (mainly Ophthalmologist). Eye Care Himalaya has planned to construct a new building of the hospital and train required human resources. We hope that after completion of the new hospital building and with proper and sufficient number of trained manpower at least one thousand patients can be examined and two hundred patients can be operated every day. Thus, the Hospital will be a gift to the blind people of this region to prevent and cure their blindness and at the same time, it could play a significant role to eliminate the avoidable blindness in this part of the world and contribute to the Mission - Vision 2020:The Right to Sight.