International charities partner on glaucoma initiative

Named ‘Keep Sight’, the program is designed to improve screening, diagnosis and treatment facilities in the countries most in need of improvent. The initiative was launched at the World Health Assbly in Geneva last week.Keep Sight will initially target Nigeria, where the first batch of 50 healthcare providers will be trained. This group is expected to screen 5,000 people, treat 500 and perform surgery on 70.The IAPB hopes the program will expand to eventually screen 500,000 people by the year 2021.{{quote-A:R-W:400-I:2-Q:“Glaucoma in Africa is poised to be a significant public health burden in the coming decade. ‘Keep Sight’ is the kind of solution we need today” -who:Joanna Conlon, IAPB}}Ms Caroline Harper, Sightsavers CEO, said her organisation is excited to be partnering with Allergan to combat one of the world’s leading causes of irreversible blindness.“The greatest global needs in eye health today exist in developing countries, where typical barriers include inadequate human resources, poor infrastructure, a lack of awareness and limited access to medical treatments,” Harper said. “The partnership between Sightsavers, The IAPB and Allergan is an example of the important and necessary alliances that are needed to fight avoidable blindness and deliver better services to patients.”Ms Joanna Conlon, director of development and communications at IAPB added the project has the potential to have a significant impact on the target regions.“Glaucoma in Africa is poised to be a significant public health burden in the coming decade. ‘Keep Sight’ is the kind of solution we need today. IAPB is delighted to be working with Allergan to raise awareness of glaucoma, a ‘neglected’ eye condition,” Conlon said.IAPB previously worked with Allergan on a series on webinars, lectures and blog posts released during World Glaucoma Week earlier this year.The initiative has no connection to the KeepSight eye check rinder program for people with diabetes, launched in Australia earlier this year. More reading:Allergan gives $300,000 to Glaucoma AustraliaThe ever-increasing cost of glaucoma
< style="font-size: 16px;">IMAGE CREDIT: Terry Cooper