22-24 November

As part of a gap analysis under the LEAP Enhancing Cataract Surgical Outcome series, Dr. Madhu Sekhar, Chief, Intraocular Lens & Cataract Services, Aravind-Madurai, and D. Yesunesan, Senior Faculty, LAICO, visited Himalaya Eye Hospital in Pokhara, Nepal on 4-8 December. The objective was to gain a deeper understanding of the hospital’s systems and protocols, particularly focusing on clinical outcomes. The team interacted with the management, clinical leaders, and staff. The team will collaborate with Himalaya Eye Hospital for the next 12 months, with the overarching goal of achieving a best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of 6/12 or better in 90% of the cataract-operated eyes.

In a similar visit,a team comprising Dr. Vishwaraj, Medical Consultant, Glaucoma Services, Aravind-Pondicherry, B. Udayakumar, Senior Faculty, LAICO, and microbiologists from Aurolab, visited Loknayak Jaiprakash Eye Hospital, Behana, Hazaribag, Jharkhand, on 22-24 November. The purpose of the onsite visit was to perform a gap analysis and provide recommendations to adapt best practices for enhancing their cataract surgical outcome.

LAICO, 16^th November- 4^th December

LAICO organised the 51st batch of the ‘Certificate Course on Community Outreach and Social Marketing of Eye Care Services, featuring classroom sessions on demand generation, service marketing, GIS planning, and eye care need estimation for the service area population. A total of eight participants from Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Ghana, Nepal, and India attended the course, engaging in meetings with community sponsors and participating in various types of eye camps. They had the opportunity to observe counselling sessions, received training in developing health education materials, and attended eye camp monitoring meetings. Towards the end of the training, they developed outreach action plans for their respective hospitals, committing to implement these plans upon returning to their organisations.