Protecting Armenians’ Vision
Although significant reforms in Armenia’s healthcare system have made primary healthcare (PHC) affordable and accessible for the majority of population, the quality of eye care services provided at the PHC level is still relatively poor. The situation is especially dramatic in regions because of old and damaged equipment and the limited number of eye care specialists trained in modern ophthalmology.
A USAID Global Development Alliance (GDA) project, “Bringing Sight to Armenian Eyes: A Primary and Ophthalmological Healthcare Alliance” is working to prevent avoidable blindness in Armenia and increase access to quality eye care services throughout the country. The project achieves this mission through outreach – screening and treatment of vulnerable populations, data analysis and research, medical education and training, as well as public communication strategies – to address major issues in eye care in Armenia.
Medical education is the cornerstone of the Project, which pursues a long-term objective of training healthcare professionals to deliver state-of-the-art eye care to the people of Armenia. Education activities include training by U.S. ophthalmologists, continuing education classes and fellowships for Armenian physicians in the U.S.; conferences and seminars, Mobile Eye Hospital training programs; as well as training for family medicine physicians and ancillary medical personnel.
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From 2004-2007, the project screened 124,158 people (including 67,049 children), out of which 4,790 patients received medical treatment on the Mobile Eye Hospital and 11,141 vulnerable people were provided with eyeglasses
Photo Credit: PatkerPhoto |
Over the past three years, the Project implementer – Armenian EyeCare Project (AECP) – has increased the competency level of 333 family medicine doctors (FMD) in the country as part of the Project’s Family Medicine Training Program.
Designed and supervised by the Project’s Medical Education and Training Director, Dr. Marianna Shahsuvaryan, the trainings are conducted by an ophthalmologist and a family medicine doctor. The FMD training typically lasts seven days and has both theoretical and practical sessions, including a full day devoted to patient screenings to help the students develop their practical skills in using ophthalmologic equipment. The FMDs also observe AECP doctors while examining children at schools and visit AECP clinics where sub-specialists explain current diagnostic procedures and the use of cutting-edge ophthalmologic equipment.
“The main goal of these trainings is to teach primary healthcare providers to diagnose eye problems and decide whether to treat or refer the patient to an ophthalmologist. We focus on preparing family doctors to make early diagnoses of diseases causing irreversible blindness such as glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy. We also promote cooperation between family doctors and ophthalmologists for the benefit of patients,” says Dr. Shahsuvaryan.
Since the Project’s inception in 2004, AECP physicians have trained 950 primary healthcare providers in Yerevan and the regions, including 554 family and health post nurses, and 50 school and kindergarten nurses.
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