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Ganjam: Allergan, Sightsavers and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) today announced the launch of its unique joint initiative Keep Sight India a community based glaucoma screening progamme to prevent glaucoma-related vision loss in Ganjam District, Odisha. The pilot kicked off in October 2019 in partnership with Sightsavers local partner, Sankara Eye Hospital.

Theprogammeprovidestrainingforhealthcareprofessionalstoscreenat-riskpopulations,ensureearlyand accurate diagnosis and provide appropriate treatment and long-term care in an effort to make a positive impact on people with glaucoma at all levels of comprehensive eyecare.

The first outreach camp was organised on December 3rd, 2019 on World Disability Day and subsequently four outreach camps were conducted under the pilot project. The outreach camps included services like vision testing, refraction, IOP measurement, fundus photography, spectacle dispensing, cataract identification, referral services and counselling services. To date 8276 people have been screened for glaucoma in these fouroutreachcamps,fromwhich749glaucomasuspectswereidentifiedandreferredtothebasehospital.2

Sightsavers India CEO, RN Mohantysaid: We are excited to be partnering with Allergan, an organisation with a long legacy in eyecare. Sightsavers too like Allergan is committed in finding and providing effective solutions for patients suffering with glaucoma, which is one of the leading causes of irreversible blindness. Thetypicalbarrierswefaceongroundincludeinadequatehumanresources,alackofawarenessandlimited access to medical treatments. The partnership between Sightsavers and Allergan is an example of the vital associations that are needed to fight avoidable blindness and deliver better services at the community level.

1https://www.nhp.gov.in/world-glaucoma-week_pg

2Taken from output statistics in Keep Sight monthly reports. Further details available from Sightsavers Media team

DrSYQuraishi,HonoraryChairmanSightsaversIndiaBoardandformerChiefElectionCommissioner,Indiasaid, Nearly 75% of sight loss can be cured or prevented, so its an area where initiatives like this can have a strong impact where it is needed the most. Im happy to know that people in and around Ganjam will become aware about Glaucoma and take adequate corrective measures which are now accessible via eye screening camps in the community and services at the Sankara Eye Hospital,Samarjhola.

India will play a crucial role in meeting WHOs targets for eye health, saidJoanna Conlon, Director of Development and Communications, IAPB. The country is already at the forefront of delivering people- centered solutions for eye care. Keep Sight will work with Indian partners to support and extend Indias successes around eye health and glaucoma. IAPB is committed to universal eye health. Sightsavers has decadesofexperienceindeliveringeyehealthintheregion.TogetherwithAllergan,theyarekeentomake a real difference for people with Glaucoma. Together, we will work to support Indias eye carestrategies.

Allergan is honoured to partner with Sightsavers and IAPB onKeep Sight; their wealth of knowledge and expertise,combinedwithourpassionforscienceandsolutionswillhavearealimpactonoursharedgoalof reducingthehighburdenofirreversibleblindnessinthecountry.ForalmosttwodecadesAllerganhasbeen committed to developing novel approaches to preserve visual function and prevent blindness caused by glaucoma.KeepSightisaninitiativethatwillmakearealdifferencetopeoplewithglaucomainIndia.saidGopinath Kesavan, Associate Director, Eyecare, AllerganIndia

Keep Sight India Project Update

The outputs of the programme achieved up until January 2020 are detailed below. The outputs include numbers from both outreach and hospital interventions.2

2020)

Yag PI)

Plan for next Quarter (Jan-Mar 2020)

The next quarter of the project will focus primarily on the following activities:

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Allergan, Sightsavers And The Iapb Announce The 'Keep Sight' Initiative To Address Glaucoma In Ganjam, Odisha - Odisha Diary

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