Dear HIFA colleagues,
We have seven guiding questions for this discussion. www.hifa.org/cataract
Question 2 is: Who performs cataract surgery? (eg medical ophthalmologists, non-physician cataract surgeons)
Worldwide, cataract surgery is mainly performed by ophthalmologists, but several countries in sub-Saharan Africa have developed non-physician cataract surgeon programmes to help address severe shortages of eye surgeons and improve access to sight-restoring surgery.
We would be grateful to hear from HIFA members worldwide about the situation in your country. What is the potential to increase numbers of ophthalmologists and/or non-physician cataract surgeons in your country?
I would also be interested to learn if the traditional treatment of couching is ever carried out. This involves the insertion of a pointed stick by a traditional healer to dislodge the clouded lens. The results are very poor. Although largely abandoned worldwide, I have read that it is still practised occasionally in some rural areas of Africa, particularly where access to affordable cataract surgery is limited. People undergoing this procedure presumably have no access to modern cataract surgery or may be unaware that this is an option.
I look forward to learn from your experience and expertise. Email hifa@hifaforums.org
Many thanks, Neil
HIFA profile: Neil Pakenham-Walsh is coordinator of HIFA (Healthcare Information For All), a global health community that brings all stakeholders together around the shared goal of universal access to reliable healthcare information. HIFA has 20,000 members in 180 countries, interacting in four languages and representing all parts of the global evidence ecosystem. HIFA is administered by Global Healthcare Information Network, a UK-based nonprofit in official relations with the World Health Organization. Email: neil@hifa.org