Long Range Strategy PlanORBIS INTERNATIONAL–

INDIA

Highlights of the Situational Analysis Document Keerti Bhusan Pradhan,

B R Shamanna, P K Nirmalan

This situational analysis document is a draft document

subject to revision & finalization after the deliberations in this

workshop. The document aims to provide a framework for discussion to guide the

initiatives of ORBIS – India eye care program

Purpose & MethodsMain Purpose• To drive ORBIS – India country offices’

direction in the eye care milieu of the country.

Methodology• Primary & Secondary information• Discussions• Analysis by the consultants based on their

experience

GLOBAL BLINDNESS

5045

3831? 3028

1975 1980 1984 1990 1995 2000

Millions

Prevalence of Blindness (Visual Acuity <6/60) as per the National Survey (86-89)

 

Category 

Prevalence (%)

States & regions of the country

Low Prevalence

Less then 1 Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, West Bengal, & N.E. States

Moderate Prevalence

1 to 1.49 Gujarat, Haryana, Kerala, Bihar, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Assam

High Prevalence

1.5 to 1.99 Maharashtra, Orissa, Tamil Nadu & Uttar Pradesh

Very High Prevalence

2 and above

Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Jammu & Kashmir

Blindness in South East Asia

• Prevalence 0.8%; Range 0.3 – 1.5%

• Cataract – Major Cause, 50-80%

• Other major causes – uncorrected refractive errors, trachoma, childhood blindness, corneal blindness, ocular trauma.

• Cost of Blindness US$ 5.6 billion annually

Profile of SEA Region

• 25% of the world’s population

• 33% of the world’s blind

• 40% of the world’s poor

• 50% of the world’s childhood blindness

• 60% of the cataract backlog

Causes of Blindness in India

55%

19%

4%

7%

15%

Cataract

Ref.error

Glaucoma

Cornea

Others

Eye Care Service Delivery in IndiaAbout 65% of surgical performance in the country is performed in the private and voluntary sector and only 35% is within the government sector.About 11,000 ophthalmologists and an equal number of trained and recognized mid level personnel (MLP) exist as opposed to the ratio of having at least 4-5 MLP for each ophthalmologist. 50% of the ophthalmologists are surgically inactive within the country.The ophthalmologist to population ratio in urban India is 1:25,000 but in rural India it is about 1:250,000.

Eye Care Service Delivery in IndiaAbout 65% of surgical performance in the country is performed in the private and voluntary sector and only 35% is within the government sector.About 11,000 ophthalmologists and an equal number of trained and recognized mid level personnel (MLP) exist as opposed to the ratio of having at least 4-5 MLP for each ophthalmologist. 50% of the ophthalmologists are surgically inactive within the country.The ophthalmologist to population ratio in urban India is 1:25,000 but in rural India it is about 1:250,000.

Eye Care Service Delivery in India

Rapid assessment surveys in 14 districts in the country - coverage at 70%

IOL surgery increased to 60%

Poor surgical outcomes, as high as 40% post-operatively blind following conventional ICCE & 10% following IOL surgery – population based outcomes

Current situation - India• Reasonable facilities and service

delivery mechanisms that can be utilized.• Demographic and epidemiological

transitions – increase and change in disease patterns despite current intervention levels.

• Unifocal vertical interventions – limited structure at the community level.

• Need for more public-private coordination efforts in eye care in India

Disease Control Status

• Cataract–Issues:

• Major cause for blindness

• Changing demographics = Increasing prevalence and incidence

• Only 60% IOL

• Quality of surgery

Disease Control Status

• Cataract–Issues:

• Geographic coverage

• Socioeconomic issues

• Gender issues

Disease Control Status• Cornea

– Issues:

• Infectious disease

• Nutritional causes

• Trauma

• Awareness, treatment strategies and access

• Determining the national need for corneas

Disease Control Status• Cornea

– Issues:

• Eye banking

• Availability of grafts, Capability to graft

• Preservation of graft material

• Standardized protocols, accreditation & need for appropriate

legislation

• Awareness of eye donation (gap between pledge and actual

donation)

Disease Control StatusChildhood blindness – estimate – 1.5 million

– Issues:

• Almost 50% of childhood blindness in India

• Overshadowed by the cataract problem

• Limited epidemiological details

• Cause estimates mainly from blind school

data

Disease Control Status

• Childhood blindness– Issues:

• No service delivery models

• Few pediatric Ophthalmology Units

• Cost effectiveness of service delivery

• Pediatricians and primary care personnel not

involved

Disease Control Status Refractive errors

– Issues:

• Uncorrected refractive errors being recently recognized

as a problem

• 60-70% of refractive errors can be corrected by

spectacles

• Accessible, affordable, available spectacles

• Need for service delivery models including follow-up

Disease Control Status• Low Vision

– Issues:• Low appreciation of need even among

eye care professionals

• Few Centres & trained personnel

• Cost of devices

• Availability & acceptability of devices

Disease Control Status

• Emerging problems

– Diabetic Retinopathy

– Glaucoma

– Age –Related Macular Degeneration

Human resources

• 11,000 Ophthalmic surgeons

• Paramedical staff: 15,000

• 15,000 to 20,000 persons in eye care without any formal training and qualification

Human resources

• 80 institutions currently training MLOP’s in India

• 1300 persons each year

• Fellowship programs

• Optometry, Ophthalmic techniques, Instrument maintenance, opticians, management courses

Human Resources status and needs in India

 

Category Current 2005 2010 2015 2020

Ophthalmologists 11,000 15,000 18,000 21,000 25,000

Mid Level Personnel

24,000 40,000 51,000 62,000 73,000

Eye Care Managers 200 500 1,000 1,500 2,000

Community Eye Health Specialists

20 50 100 150 200

Major Issues in Blindness Control in India

• Limited levels of coordination among Private, Voluntary & Public Sectors

• Emphasis on Quantity over Quality• Excessive reliance on camps and

improvised facilities previously did not translate into expected permanent solutions

• Mismatch in Infrastructure, human resources & limited training

• Programs unable to redress barriers at the community level

India Vision 2020 Plan of Action• Revamping of medical Education• Redeployment of human resources• Better coordination among all stakeholders• Better service quality – standards & protocols• Due emphasis on preventive eye care• Strengthen advocacy• Reduction of disease burden • Strengthen physical infrastructure and human

resources• MIS for better program management• Central government – Advisory role in Policy,

resource mobilization and program implementation

Targets 2002 – 2007 (India Vision 2020) • Increase CSR to 4,500 by 2005

• 80% operated cases – good outcomes

• Increase IOL surgeries to more than 80%

• Establish at least 50 pediatric eye units

• Opportunistic high – risk screening for glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy

• Establish 7,500 more vision centres, 50 more training centres, 325 more service centres & 7 more centres of excellence for eye care service delivery.

• Integrate components of PEC in PHC and training in PEC

• 25 fully accredited eye banks, 50 new low vision centres and 20 eye donation centres and networking

Eye Care in the Broader Health Care Agenda of the country

• National Health Policy 2002 – Reduction of prevalence of blindness to 0.5% by 2010

• Establishment of a baseline data for incidence of blindness by 2005

• Use data for Evidence Based Policy

• Mapping of facilities and infrastructure on a country level for comprehensive service delivery approach.

• Statutory professional council for paramedical personnel

Role of Stakeholders in Eye Care in India

• Multilateral & Bilateral agencies

– WHO

– World Bank

– UNICEF

– DANIDA (DANPCB)

– DFID

– USAID

Role of Stakeholders in Eye Care in India

• International NGOs & Service organizations in India

– ORBIS International

– CBM

– OEU

– Rotary International

– International Eye Foundation

– Sight Savers International

– Lions Club International Foundation

– HelpAge India

Role of Stakeholders in Eye Care in India• National Institutions/Agencies in India

– Dr. R.P.Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences

– ICMR

– All IOL training centres

– LVPEI

– SN

– AECS

– AIOS

– EBAI

– VCS

– SCEH

Strategic Opportunities

• We do not present an exhaustive list,

but present certain broad areas to

stimulate discussion that may

determine specific areas of interest

for ORBIS-India.

Strategic Opportunities

• Goals– Disease Control– Developing Human Resources– Strengthening Service Delivery– Promoting outreach activities and public

awareness - advocacy– Develop institutional capacity,

partnerships and Networking

Strategic Opportunities

• Potential areas for interventions– Disease Control

• Approaches

–Research to understand risk factors and disease process better

–Research to develop and improve service delivery models

–Health economics

Disease Control

Cataract–Understand risk factors better,

gender and socioeconomic factors

–Alternate service delivery models

Disease Control

• Cornea– Develop intervention for corneal abrasions at

the primary level– Train ophthalmologists in Mgt of corneal

infection– Develop a basic lab set-up– Study national need for corneas– Establish eye banks and accreditation process

Disease Control

• Childhood blindness– Train Ophthalmologists and a team for

pediatric eye care– Establish pediatric eye care units– Develop service delivery mechanism– School screening & screening for

school aged children– Research to understand causes and

diseases better

Disease Control

• Refractive errors– Develop service delivery models

– Promote refraction training centres

– Promote optical ‘dispensing’ training centres (grinding, fitting)

Disease Control

• Diabetic retinopathy– Strengthen tertiary care centres

– Training in management of diabetic retinopathy

– Awareness

– Service delivery models

Disease Control

• Glaucoma– Tertiary care centres– Training in management of glaucoma

Low Vision– Tertiary care centres – Training in management

Human Resource Development

• MLOP– Develop curriculum– Training materials in regional

languages– Body for accreditation– Develop Management Competence– Standardized Ophthalmologist

training, CME

Service delivery models

• Need to develop working models of primary eye care

• Strengthen tertiary care models

• Develop regionally appropriate IEC materials

Advocacy

Develop partner institutes to COE

Improve networking between

stakeholders

Low Vision devices production

Technologies

• Telemedicine

• GIS