Community Program
Surgical Camps
Surgical camps are the means to make surgical eye care service accessible to people residing in remote areas. The hospital conducted altogether nine mobile surgical camps during the year: three in Dhaulagiri zone, two in Gandaki zone and four in Karnali zone.
In the mobile surgical camps organized in Gandaki and Dhaulagiri zones altogether 6,787 patients benefited, of which 553 underwent surgery. The details are as follows:
Screening Camps
The Hospital conducted 74 screening camps in different places of Gandaki and Dhaulagiri zones during the year. The objective of these screening camps was to screen the patients in the villages and towns and bring those who require surgery to the hospital.
Altogether 14,307 patients were seen and 1,376 patients were brought to the HEH for cataract surgery (of which 1,369 underwent surgery).
Surgery of these patients was done free of charge. These camps were organized with the involvement of Redcross, Local Youth Clubs, and Community Hospitals.
School Screening
Altogether, 6,262 students of 30 schools were screened under the School Screening Program during the year. Twenty-three school teachers were first trained to take visual acuity of students. Even though it was planned to organize this program in other 70 schools during the month of March and April 2006, because of the adverse situation, it could not be done.
Primary Eye Care Center(PECC)
To provide primary eye care service on a regular basis in the districts, PECCs have been established in five districts of Gandaki, Dhaulagiri and Karnali zones: two in Karnali, two in Gandaki and one in Dhaulagiri zone. Altogether, 19,399 patients were served by these five PECCs during the year. Except for the PECC Kanhybgm akk itger, PECCs are typically staffed with one ophthalmic assistant and one support staff.
PECC – Jumla
Established in 1993 at Khalanga, the headquarter of the districts; it is the oldest PECC in the program area. This PECC also renders dental services. Since inception, it has provided service to 26,009 eye patients and 6,880 dental patients. During the year under review, this centre provided services to 3,601 eye patients and 907 dental patients.
PECC – Gorkha
The PECC in Gorkha was established in 2004 and is being run in cooperation with Lions Club of Gorkha. The population of the catchments area of this PECC is nearly 400,000. Since its establishment in mid-April 2004, it has provided services to 9,770 patients. During the year under review, this centre provided services to 4,789 patients, which is an increase of 30.73% compared to the previous fiscal year.
PECC – Kalikot
Located in Manma, the district headquarter of Kalikot district, and established in April 1996, PECC – Kalikot is another PECC in Karnali zone. This centre has so far provided services to 10,624 eye patients and 1,487 dental patients. During the year altogether 2,699 (2,231 eye and 438 patients) patients were served by the center.
PECC – Lamjung
Established in the current fiscal year in cooperation with district community hospital, PECC – Lamjung is another PECC in Gandaki zone. The centre is housed in the community hospital complex. More than 300,000 people reside in its catchment area. This is the first PECC established in and as a part of the general hospital. It is expected to serve as a model for integration of eye health into general health at the district level. During the seven-month period since its establishment, it provided services to 1,368 patients.
PECC – Baglung
The only PECC in Dhaulagiri zone it was established in 1994. It has so far rendered services to 52,599 patients. During the year under review, this centre provided service to 7,410 patients.
Periodical surgical clinics are also conducted at this PECC by a team if ophthalmologist and ophthalmic assistants from the HEH.
