Research of the exploitation of human resources in blind prevention and primary eye care.

PURPOSE

This research studied how to establish a relatively advanced blindness prevention and eye care cause in economically underdeveloped countryside.

METHODS

Ophthalmic vocational schools and professional lectures were held to train "practical type" primary eye care workers for the countryside. Further study in high-level (above provincial) hospitals was taken to train blindness prevention & eye care backbones and leaders.

RESULTS

In 1986, the ratio of the number of the eye care workers of all levels to the number of the whole population in the prefecture was 1:26,000. In 1992, it rose to 1:17,000. An eye care network of 222 stations had been established in the countryside. Ten in the 13 county hospitals had a seperated ophthalmology department, in which 3 were awarded "National advanced blindness prevention County". Twenty one hospitals were appointed as the Unit of Surgical Vision-Rehabilitation of Cataract. Blindness prevention and eye care covered 1,000,000 population (eye care available within 5 kilometers), 23.5% of the whole population.

CONCLUSIONS

In a demographically large but economically underdeveloped countryside area, the key to wide-range blindness prevention and eye care is to exploit human resources effectively. We should train "Practical type" primary eye care workers, and have a number of department leaders who are authoritive, influential in this field and ready to sacrifice to this cause.