Cataract Outreaches at the Community Level in Nepal and India

In the past few months, HCP partners in Nepal and India performed a total of 1,338 sight restoring surgeries. Details of these outreach can be found below.

Nepal

HCP’s flagship partner Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology in Nepal manages 15 Community Eye Centres and Community Eye Hospitals in Nepal. Community Eye Centers play an important role in Tilganga’s network and serve to ensure that care is available for the poorest and most unreachable patients. Typically, Community Eye Centers are staffed with full time ophthalmic assistants that provide basic eye care treatment and screenings for infection, as well as referrals for patients that need more advanced care. Patients are screened at Community Eye Centers and then convened for an outreach surgical event, such as the recent examples in Jiri, Ramechap and Solu.

Jiri: March 09 - 10

A team from HCP flagship partner institution, Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology led a one day cataract outreach providing 76 sight restoring surgeries in Jiri, a municipality in the Dolakha District located in the Janakpur Zone of north-eastern Nepal.

Ramechhap: March 13 - 14

This one day outreach was also led by a team from the Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology and provided 51 sight restoring surgeries in Ramechhap, a Municipality in the Ramechhap District of Nepal.

Solu: April 06 - 08

A team from HCP supported, Phaplu Community Eye Hospital led this two day outreach providing 73 sight restoring surgeries in Solu, located in the Solukhumbu District of Nepal.

India

HCP has supported Tilganga’s outreach efforts in India for over a decade. Tilanga’s Chief of Academics and Training, Dr. Govinda Poudyal, has made countless visits to the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, working with the Jagadguru Kripalu Chikitsalaya hospitals to provide high-volume cataract care to those in need as well as clinical mentorship. HCP has also supported eyecare efforts in Sikkim, including training, equipment support and direct service through cataract outreach.

Mangarh: February 23 - 26

Dr. Govinda Poudyal managed a three day outreach in Mangarh, Uttar Pradesh where 905 sight restoring surgeries were performed.

Sikkim: February 26 - 28

Dr. Govinda Poudyal led a second two-day outreach in Sikkim, a state in northeast India, bordered by Bhutan, Tibet and Nepal. The team provided 233 sight restoring surgeries.