New eye care programme in quake zone

As part of its earthquake relief efforts, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has started a programme to provide eye care to quake-survivors in parts of Pakistani-administered Kashmir. “The Community Ophthalmology Initiative (COI), running till the end of April, would focus on providing free cataract surgery to elderly quake survivors aged 40 and above. To this end, eye assessments have been started from this Monday and we’ll start operating from Friday,” Dr Ihtasham-ul-Haq, coordinator of the COI, said in Muzaffarabad, capital of Pakistani-administered Kashmir, where the pilot project was launched. More than 80,000 people were killed and over 3.5 million rendered homeless when the 8 October quake of 7.6 magnitude on the Richter scale ripped through parts of Pakistani-administered Kashmir and North West Frontier Province (NWFP). Tens of thousands of quake survivors were left with no option but to move to tent villages in the valleys to wait out the seasonal snowfall until the spring - when they may have a chance of rebuilding their shattered lives and homes. According to the IOM eye care coordinator, the start of spring is an ideal time to begin the programme. “Spring is a good time for rapid recovery from surgery.” Better weather will also mean survivors will be able to access the eye service more easily. Estimates suggest there are between 400 and 500 people urgently needing cataract surgery in Muzaffarabad district alone, the IOM official said. The Abbas Institute of Medical Sciences (AIMS) hospital in Muzaffarabad will provide free use of an operating theatre as well as beds for those in post-operative care. IOM will pay the US $18 per cataract operation. In addition, the COI also plans to schedule eye examinations in schools to assess children with bad eyesight and those suffering poor vision due to vitamin A deficiency. “The lack of proper eyewear is a major reason why many children perform poorly in schools, eventually dropping out, and is a cause of health problems such as chronic headaches,” IOM’s COI coordinator said. “We are developing an additional programme to provide free or low-cost eyewear to people. That is likely to begin at the end of March,” Ihtasham said.