« Alone, we can do so little. Together we can do so much » Helen A. Keller (1880 – 1968)

EYE HEALTH Cataract Refractive error : Childsight Diabetic retinopathy Vitamin A deficiency

Nutrition Vitamine A supplementation Homestead gardening Enhanced Food Production Micronutrient Enriched flour and cooking oil Breast feeding promotion

NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES Trachoma Schistosomiasis Onchocerciasis Intestinal worms Lymphatic filariasis

OBJECTIVE In 2001, with support from Total E&P Myanmar and its partners, HKI launches the Eye Health Initiatives Project to help the Ministry of Health’s TC&PBL achieve the goal of Vision 2020: to reduce blindness by 50% by 2020. The focus is: To improve the cataract surgical rate (CSR) and the quality of cataract surgeries To improve managerial and technical capacity of eye care providers To provide free quality cataract surgeries to the poor

MYANMAR PROJECT ACTIVITIES Support Teaching and General Hospitals Support TC&PBL Secondary Eye Centers Provide Medical Training Conduct Outreach Programs Support Regular Maintenance Provide Primary Eye Care Training Support Quality Assurance Independent Assessment, Survey, and Research Treatment of advanced glaucomas (cyclodiode) Treatment of Retinopathy of Prematurity

Formula for a successful cataract surgery program Identify the needs Realistic goals Good relations with the host country MOH and ophthalmology community Effective technical support and maintenance Ongoing dependable funding

You need a good team!

The team approach in 2000 HE Minister of Health Major General Kat Sein Prof U Than Aung (Prof of YEH 2000) Dr. U Tan Aung Kyaw (Director of PBL in 2000) Dr. Aung Kyaw Win (liason officer for MOH) Prof Daw Myint Khine YEH Prof U Mya Aung NOGH Prof U Ko Ko Tin YEH Prof U Soe Nyunt NOGH Prof U Kyaw Htin MEENTH Prof U Kan Nyunt YEH Prof U Thein Tun MEENTH

Continuing support in 2016 ! Prof Tin Win YEH Prof Chaw Chaw Khine DSMA Prof Yee Yee Aung MEENTH Prof Thuzar Han NOGH Prof May Thet Hnin Aye UMMG Prof Khin Aye Soe YEH Prof Khin Ohnmar Khine YEH Prof San Myint YEH A Prof Kathi YEH A Prof Khine Myat Su YEH A Prof Khin Thandar Su NOGH

RESULTS: CATARACT SURGICAL COVERAGE Cataract Surgical Coverage significantly increased from 30.87% in average to 73.06% in average among 3 districts at 2 divisions (Sagaing and Bago)

RESULTS: In 2001, there were 252,000 cases of treatable cataract with an additional 50,000 new cases each year, while only 25,000 surgeries were being performed annually. The cataract surgical rate (CSR) was 644. In 2015, 107,371 cases were operated for a CSR of 2,065 (52 Million population). The increase in annual surgeries can be attributed in large part to HKI activities in the country.

RESULTS: PREVALENCE OF BLINDNESS Prevalence of Blindness significantly reduced from 6.1% to 2.3% on average among 4 districts at 3 divisions (Sagaing, Mandalay and Bago)

cataract surgery outcomes in myanmar WHO recommendation: obtain more than 80% > 6/18 vision (Outcome improving but still unsatisfactory)

Financial Investment Since onset of project in 2001: Total E&P Myanmar and partners have invested about $2.9 Million Co financing and support, from Ministry of Health, Standard Chartered Bank UK and International Agency for Prevention of Blindness, HKI, Peter Bennett Foundation, Daewoo E&P Myanmar, CIL, Alcon, TFWA Care, United Engineering, Til, Asian Foundation for the Prevention of Blindness, and the British, German and Japanese Embassies in Yangon, has provided about $1.5 Million

SPIRIT OF HELEN KELLER AWARD Past awardees include: Dr. Alfred Sommer Dr. and Mrs. Norval Christy Dr. G. Venkataswamy Lions International Christophe de Margerie