Monrovia – Eye Healthcare Delivery is amongst many of the health components in Liberia that is hardly challenged ranging from services, human resources, infrastructural especially in rural Liberia.
By: Jonathan O. Grigsby, Snr. Contributor Writer
It is because of these constraints that residents in the rural areas are facing serious challenges in accessing eye healthcare.
But with this, the New Sight Eye Center (NSEC), a non-for-profit Liberian organization, is calling for the placement of Eye Doctors, also known as Ophthalmologists, at various eye centers established by the NSEC at Government run-health centers as well as at it own facilities in the counties.
The Executive Director of New Sight Eye Center, Mr. Robert F. Dolo, referenced the Jackson F. Doe Memorial Regional Referral Hospital in Tappita, Nimba County and the Liberian Government Hospital in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County including the New Sight Eye Center in Montserrado County.
“We are a non-for-profit organization trying to help the government. Our primary focus is quality eye healthcare delivery for all. So, we are recommending that the government assigns ophthalmologists at the eye centers we have established in the Counties”, Mr. Dolo stated.
By assigning these ophthalmologists at these centers, it enhances the provision of quality eye health care services. According to Mr. Dolo, the center is seeking support to upgrade the Ophthalmic Training Program to a Collage statue that will include other disciplines such as the training of Ear Nose and Throat Health Providers, Oral Hygiene Healthcare providers, etc.
Speaking Friday, November 15, 2024, at an impact update meeting with the Ministry of Health and partners including Lions Clubs of Liberia and Samaritan’s Purse Liberia among others, Mr. Dolo, noted that the facilities are equipped with trained nurses and Cataract surgeons but limited in ophthalmologists.
The New Sight Eye Center Executive Director also urged the government to support human resource development and provide subsidies for eye health institutions that are helping its efforts in reducing blindness in Liberia. He also emphasized decentralization of eye health services in the rural areas of Liberia.
Mr. Dolo: “Many of the rural dwellers are getting blind daily from an eye disease that can be prevented, treated and controlled but cannot be reached due to the many challenges. Both the Government of Liberia, through the Health Ministry and private healthcare providers need to give urgent attention and support to eye health or else blind and visually impaired individuals will soon exceed those sighted in the nation.’’.
In remarks, the Assistant Minister for Preventive Services, at the Ministry of Health, Dr. Luallau Jabbeh-Howe, says the Ministry is collaborating with the Liberia College of Physicians and Surgeons (LCPS) to train additional eye doctors in the Country.
Minister Jabbeh-Howe assured the New Sight Eye Center that the Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Health is in the process and will deploy ophthalmologists at the various centers to help improve eye care for the rural populations.
“I have heard the several recommendations made and we have been working to provide more ophthalmologists to head those centers. We are doing replacement and deployment of ophthalmologists, and I can assure you that those areas will be covered, she asserted.
Minister Jabbeh-Howe disclosed that in the near future, there will be an increase in the number of ophthalmologists in the Country, aimed at enhancing eye health services for the population.
At the same time, the Assistant Health Minister called on partners to continue their support for the New Sight Eye Center to facilitate more screenings and treatments for citizens suffering from eye diseases.
In separate remarks the Chief Medical Officer of the Jackson F. Doe Referral Hospital in Tapita, Dr. Siaffa M. Sando and the Chief Administrator of the Liberia Government Hospital in Buchanan, Fatorma Jusu, shared insights on the impact of the New Sight Eye Center programs, at their respective institutions.
For their parts, the partners, Lions Clubs of Liberia and Samaritan’s Purse Liberia, assured their continued collaboration with the New Sight Eye Center (NSEC).
Cllr. Dickson Doe, a Lions speaking on behalf of the Lions Clubs of Liberia, said that Mr. Robert Dolo is one of the trusted young Liberians that have love for His Country. Just as Lions is supporting the training of Ophthalmologists at the Liberia Eye Center, we are happy to work with him to support his vision for the provision of eye healthcare in Liberia. He added that one of the core objectives for Lions Clubs is sight restoration. If this has been achieved through Lions supported eye projects in Liberia, it brings gratification to us as Lions.
Mr. Aaron Mawolo, speaking on behalf of Samaritan Purse Liberia, said that The New Sight Eye Center has been a trusted and hard-working partner over the years. We hope to continue our partnership with New Sight Eye Center in collaborating with the Ministry of Health via sight restoration through the promotion and sharing of God’s love through his son Jesue Christ.
NSEC Achievements for the Past Years
For the past fourteen years, the New Sight Eye Center has screened 225,011 and treated 94% (211,823). Of those screened, 58% (129,385) were facilities based, 36% (80,624) were screened at outreaches and 6.7% (15,002 were screened at school.
The total of 12,353 patients was operated of which 69% (8,536) were done at the facilities (NSEC Montserrado, Liberian Government Hospital Eye Center, Grand Bassa County and Jackson F. Doe Hospital Eye Center Nimba County) and 31% (3,817) were operated at outreaches in rural Liberia. On their routine eye medical outreaches, over 26,100 eyeglasses were distributed. Additionally, the center has trained 42 ophthalmic nurses and 12 optometry technicians at its post basic ophthalmic training program in Montserrado.
The Center believes that comprehensive eye health is vital to a sustainable health care system, and it is a sure way to create universal access to quality eye health service for all.
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