AlBasar International training center graduates
first set of ophthalmic assistants
Makkah Ophthalmic Technical College (MOTC)
Sudan established in 2007 had graduated its first
set of ophthalmic assistants. The MOTC is a division of
the Makkah Eye Complex (MEC), Khartoum, Sudan which
is one of the many ophthalmic hospitals established
worldwide by AlBasar International Foundation- a
partner NGO of PBU.
The Ophthalmic assistant programme is a 3 year
diploma course called -Diploma in Ophthalmic
assistant (DOA). It is recognized by the Council of
Medical Profession of Sudan. This cadre of eye care
workers is highly needed not only in Sudan but many
parts of EMR and Africa.
Graduates with Guest of honor and special invitees
Thirty graduates made up of 15 males and 15 females
received their graduation certificates at the
Freedom Hall in Khartoum, Sudan on 6 October 2010.
The ceremony was attended by many national and
international figures including Mr. Sadiq El-Hadi
El-Mahdi Advisor to the President of Sudan who was
the Chief Guest, Minister for Higher Education,
Saudi Arabian Ambassador to Sudan, Dr. Adel Abdul
Aziz Al-Rushood Secretary General of Al-Basar Int’l
Foundation (BIF), Prof. Ghulamqadir Kazi, CEO Isra
Foundation Pakistan, Dr Babar Qureshi CEO CHEF
international Pakistan, Dr Haroon Awan a director in
Sight Savers International, Dr Shariq Masud, Medical
Director of BIF e.t.c.
The Makkah Ophthalmic Technical College also runs a
3 year Diploma of Ophthalmic Technologist (DOT) in
addition to many other ophthalmic short courses.
The graduation ceremony was preceded by a full day
human resources workshop where local and
international experts in human resources development
and eye care assessed, discussed and brain storm
on the human resources needs for Sudan and the
current trends and innovative ideas for human
resources development. The workshop also came up
with recommendations regarding the ophthalmic
workforce need for Sudan and the expected role of
different eye health personnel.
PBU congratulates Al Basar international foundation
for the attainment of this feat towards bridging the
human resource gap in the EMR region.
HR Workshop participants
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Dr. Ahmed Trabelsi gets an International Award
Dr Ahmed Trabelsi President of Nadi Al Bassar
Tunisia, board member of PBU and Co –Chair of EMR
IAPB will be awarded G. B. Bietti International
Award at the II International Symposium on Low
Vision Rehabilitation and Visual Ability, organised
by IAPB Italy, 15-17 December 2010.
The II International Symposium on Low Vision
Rehabilitation and Visual Ability promotes amongst
national and international experts, exchange of
scientific information on different methods of
visual rehabilitation, technological innovation,
optical, electronic and informatics instruments and
devices for low vision.
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Dar es Salam, Tanzania
Muhimbili Eye Dept
project
update
The PBU/SSI project in Ophthalmology department
of Muhimbili University of Health and Allied
Sciences in Dar es Salam Tanzania (MUHAS) is
planned to commence in the first quarter of 2011.
This followed PBUs visit to the MUHAS,
inspection of project sites and interaction with
major stakeholder’s involved in the
implementation of the program. During the visit
an all stakeholders meeting was organized by PBU.
In attendance were representatives of MUHAS,
East Africa College of Ophthalmology (EACO) and
Sight Savers International (SSI). The meeting
discussed the detailed modalities for the
successful execution of the project.
The project which will cost over $470,000 over 3
years may involve eye theatre renovation,
purchase of ophthalmic and theater equipments,
scholarship for fellows to train in subspecialty
and residents to rotate in other EACO
institutions, CPD for all EACO fellows etc
Stakeholders Meeting
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Irbid, Jordan
Diabetic Retinopathy Screening
Program to commence in the first quarter of 2011
The planned Diabetic retinopathy program in Northern
Jordan will now commence in the first
quarter of 2011.
The commencement
of the project will be preceded by stakeholder meeting
to be held in Amman, Jordan. The purpose of the meeting is to fine tune
aspects of the program with inputs from all major
stakeholders ranging from professionals,
governments, nongovernmental organizations, private
institutions, the community etc. The five-year
program which will cost about $1.2 million will
involve eye health promotion, prevention, treatment,
and rehabilitation services for diabetic retinopathy
patients. It is aimed at reduction of the high
prevalence of visual impairment due to Diabetic
retinopathy in Northern Jordan. The program is being
sponsored by of Standard Chartered Bank and
Jordanian Ministry of Health, PBU is the
implementing agency with the support of Ministry of
Health Jordan.
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EMR held Leadership training workshop for its
National Coordinators
The Eastern Mediterranean Regional office of the
International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness
(EMR-IAPB) in collaboration with IMPACT-EMR and the
support of the IAPB headquarters held a leadership
and programme management training workshop for the
EMR national coordinators (NCs) for the prevention
of blindness.WHO-EMRO office was also represented in
the workshop that was held from 15-17 May 2010, in
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
The training workshop was designed to improve the
management and planning skills of NCs in the EMR; to
enhance their advocacy skills for eye care programs
especially as it relates to government agencies and
WHO; to improve their communication, negotiating and
influencing skills; and to enhance their
empowerment, motivation and team work skills ..
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IMPACT-EMR and Saudi Government to pilot
"RAAB+DR" survey methodology in Saudi Arabia
The Saudi National Prevention of Blindness Committee
(NPBC), University of Taif and IMPACT-EMR in
collaboration with London School of hygiene and
Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) will conduct pilot study
to test the new improved methodology for the Rapid
Assessment of Avoidable Blindness (RAAB) which has
been redesigned to include extensive assessment of
Diabetic retinopathy. Thus the new methodology is
called RAAB+DR. Similar studies had been piloted in
Mexico and South Africa.
The survey will be conducted in
Taif
district in the Western region of the Kingdom. It is scheduled to be held in
December 2010. The study will not only generate data
on blindness, its causes, prevalence of diabetic
mellitus, and diabetic retinopathy in study
provinces but will also build the capacity of eye
care workers (ophthalmologists and allied staff) on
this methodology and general survey modalities.
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WHO-EMR and EMR to organize regional workshop on
Primary eye care
The World Health Organization - Eastern
Mediterranean Regional Office (WHO-EMRO) with the
support of IMPACT-EMR and International Agency for
prevention of blindness-Eastern Mediterranean region
(IAPB-EMR) will be organizing a regional workshop on
Primary eye care the
1quarter of 2011 .
The workshop intends to strengthen primary eye care
within primary health in the EMR countries. The
objectives of the meeting includes to review the
current status of primary eye care services and
their integration in the primary health care in EMR
Member States; to assess the strength and weakness
of primary eye care services within the context of
renewal of primary health care by EMR Member States;
to present best practices and success stories on the
primary eye health provision in EMR; to develop
recommendations for the strengthening of primary eye
care within primary health care. Regional and
international experts on primary health care and eye
health will facilitate the workshop which will be
attended by all the national coordinators for
primary health care and those for eye care in the
EMR countries.
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