Blinded by Vitamin A deficiency, Rashid beats all odds |
2008 Safaricom Diani Rules proceeds break all time record. |
Standard Chartered Bank Nairobi supports children like Umazi. |
Glaucoma detection is rising; people reach care earlier. |
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2 -
Community Based Programme
Kwale District Eye Centre’s community based programme experienced a rather slow start at the beginning of the year, but this did not dampen our efforts to serve the community.
Awareness creation proved fruitful, as patients, for the first time, attended our field screenings and came for cataract surgery during the rainy season.
The picture below left shows a Field Supervisor talking to a women’s group on different eye diseases. This is the result of awareness creation.
The next picture shows a lady (a member of the group) who could not hide the joy she felt to be able to see again after years of being in the dark.
Schools screenings with the emphasis of detecting uncorrected refractive errors is on-going. The impact of this is being felt with adults coming up for surgery as evident in the statistics. Children with congenital cataracts identified and referred on for cataract surgery while those of school-going age integrated into mainstream primary education.
Patients from the field are able to see again following cataract surgery, thanks to support from different sources.
Early glaucoma detection is being done in the field. This is attributed to the intense awareness creation in the community and enhanced by the acquisition of a portable ‘icare’ machine that allows measurement of eye pressure. |
Field Supervisor talking to a women's group on eye diseases |
This lady could not hide the joy of seeing again. |
Umazi with her mother on a follow-up visit after surgery. |
Beneficiaries of a camp sponsored by Fleet Rotary Club (UK) |
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3 - Low Vision and Education |
Being the low vision referral centre for the Coast province, the demand for this much needed service is on the increase. The need has been expressed by various community members from different areas but KDEC resources are limited, at this stage, to offer the community based services to Kwale district community.
Our Vision Therapist is also called upon to offer technical advice and assessment to children identified by vision support teachers posted by Kenya Institute of Special Education (KISE) in various schools within the province. |
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4 -
Rehabilitation |
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The current caseload for the rehabilitation programme reached 425, all getting the services of KDEC. Most are due to glaucoma which did not reach help early to save sight.
The picture on the right shows Mzee Chigunda on a money identification session - a factor to be considered for his goat-rearing business. |
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Rashid, irreversibly blinded by Vitamin A Deficiency makes a milestone.
Rashid was first identified in 1998 when he was a healthy 2 year-old. He had not been vaccinated and as a result, caught measles when he was six months old. Although he cheated death, his body used up all its supply of Vitamin A, causing his blindness. We could not save his sight then, but tried to get him to school when he reached the school going age. The parents refused, but this didn't deter the determination of our community based worker (CBW).
After years of hard work, the CBW was able to convince the parents to send Rashid to school. We sourced a Braille machine and papers when he started school. A contact teacher from the school was trained in basic Braille skills so that he could help him. Braille text books to allow him to join in class were also found. Because there are no desks or chairs in the classroom, the Braille machine has to be used on the sandy floor.
Rashid, now 12, actively participates in class and has lots of friends. All the community know him and he wants to be a lawyer when he grows up. The parents are amazed, they say ‘miracles still happen, if blind children can go to school and learn’.
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Right: The picture shows Rashid with his classmates - no chairs or desks but he has a Braille machine and paper. |
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5 - Deaf Blind |
Twenty-nine clients identified under the deaf-blind programme were assessed to determine the degree of hearing impairment. Those that would benefit from hearing aids were told how these could be obtained and funded.
Agreement was made with an ENT specialist in Mombasa for assessment and provision of hearing aid to be done.
The challenge the programme is still facing is having a place where regular physiotherapy services can be offered. |
Nyota’s deafness being assessed by a visiting ENT specialist at KDEC.
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6 - Eye Camps |
Remote safaris continue as part of KDEC’s services to the under-served in the country. Happy to get services brought nearer, patients were transported by truck (the only means of transport ) to get to the screening venue.
Medical and Educational Aid to Kenya (MEAK) assisted, as in the previous years, enabling us restore sight to over 200 people.
Other similar camps have been planned for the year and we hope to continue offering these much needed services in area where there are no eye service providers.
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Patients coming for screening.
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7 - Staff & Training |
Staff
- Two Patient Attendants recruited while one moved to be a receptionist.
- Rehema Suleiman recruited as the Human Resource & Administration Manager.
Training
KDEC’s services are not only concentrated in service delivery. Training is a big part of our work, both at clinically and community work.
- Dr. Joseph Nyamori, a registrar from the University of Nairobi spent 2 months at KDEC for practical attachment. Dr. Gideon Nderi joined in June for his 2-months.
- Kenya Institute of Special Education (KISE) and Kenyatta University’s special needs programme has recognised the services offered by KDEC’s low vision programme and we now have students on attachment.
KDEC is evidently getting to the direction of training as the requests are getting bigger and bigger.
- The Mombasa Polytechnic University College’s community development studies students are benefiting from KDEC community based programme for their practical experience in community work
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Rehema (far right) taking the staff through the reports.
Dr. Gideon Nderi, an ophthalmologist student examining patients in the clinic
Vision Support teacher assessing a child with the supervision of the Vision Therapist |
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8 - Infrastructure |
- A new Oertli phaco machine acquired
- Security wall built around the ‘makuti’ camp of the KDEC plot
- Auto refractor replaced in the outpatients department
The field services have been expanded with the acquisition of a portable Sure Screener (auto-refractor). Patients in the field can now be screened for uncorrected refractive errors and those needing glasses advised accordingly
- New operating table makes patients comfortable while undergoing surgery
- Boundary wall built around the KDEC extension plot for security. The plot is envisaged to house a training centre for community based workers and students attending KDEC for practical attachment.
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Our vision therapist refracting a client in using the portable auto-refractor
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9 - Visitors to the Project |
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- Dr. A. Baradia
- Ms. A. Epstein – Diani Beach
- Dr. Zaheer Bagha – District MOH
- Ms. E. von Kummer
- Mr. S. Makai
- Ms. I. Cottini—Switzerland
- Mr. S. Shah
- Mr. & Mrs Alois Vonlanthen
- Diani/Ukunda Epilepsy clinic staff
- Mr. M. Abdillahi—Mombasa Hearing Centre
- Denis & Eileen Clarkson
- Mr & Mrs Jurgen Boening
- Mr & Mrs Zemmouchi & Max Prins – Nairobi
- Mr & Mrs Robbe & Martina Wackerhagen - Germany
- Mr. R. Kalama – District Lands Officer – Kwale District
- Mr. R Frick – Germany
- Mr. W. Maina – African Braille Centre
- Ms. M. Muturi, C. Cross. P. Haore – Sight Savers International Kenya & UK offices
- Ms. Sameer Hassan –Toyota E.A Limited
- Braeburn International School Mombasa Year 5 class on a learning visit
- Ms. E. Greave – Sense International (UK)
- Mr. G. Atieli – Sense International (EA) - Nairobi
- Ms. B. Mbogo, Moira & Trudie—Verkaat Development Trust
- Mr. B. Miller (UK)
- Dr. R. Humphry (EFEA UK Honorary Consultant)
- Fr. (Dr.) J. Luis Orpella—Garissa
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Dr. Thiel visiting from Germany
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10 - Fundraising & Publicity |
Safaricom Diani Rules 2008
Our annual beach sports event on the weekend of 1st June raised a record Ksh1.7 million ($26,154) for eye care, look at www.dianirules.com
Charity Shop and Awareness Centre in Diani
We say goodbye and thank you to Jan King, who is responsible for the success of our charity shop.
Eye Give
Our thanks to all those generous people who have chosen a gift this way through our website
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Teams battling it out in the obstacles race during this year’s Diani Rules sports event
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11 - Future Events |
World Sight Day 9th October at KDEC. This year’s continues schools awareness.
Liaison Eye Go Fishing competition —17th & 18th November on the North Coast. |
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