Auzemery A, Huguet P, Audugé A, Traoré J, Ceccon J F, Schémann J F
IOTA, Bamako, Mali.
Sante. 1998 Mar-Apr;8(2):130-2.
The African Institute of Tropical Ophthalmology (AITO) is an OCCCMED institute, founded in Bamako in 1953. The OCCCMED itself is based at Bobo Dioulasso (Burkina Faso). AITO is a WHO collaborating center for the prevention of blindness. Training is one of the main activities of the institute, along with eye care, research and assessment. The prevalence of blindness in sub-Saharan countries is about 1.2%, with blindness mostly caused by cataracts, trachoma, glaucoma and onchocercosis. The demand for eye care is high but there are currently too few trained personnel to satisfy that demand. Therefore, AITO's role in training eye-care professionals is particularly important. The institute trains ophthalmologists, specialist nurses, eye surgeons (who remove cataracts) and spectacle manufacturers. Training is carried out within the framework of the community and apprenticeship in the workplace. The student must attain specific targets, listed in a "competency passport" issued at the start of training. Clinical and surgical ophthalmology and general eye care are taught. Training costs and grants are mostly paid by the Lions Club International Sight First Program or by the French Overseas Development Ministry. Since 1991, AITO has trained to graduation: 18 ophthalmologists; 24 eye surgeons; 83 specialist nurses; 16 spectacle manufacturers.
非洲热带眼科研究所（AITO）是一所隶属于中非医学合作组织（OCCCMED）的机构，于1953年在巴马科成立。OCCCMED总部位于布基纳法索的博博迪乌拉索。AITO是世界卫生组织预防失明合作中心。培训是该机构的主要活动之一，此外还有眼部护理、研究和评估。撒哈拉以南国家的失明患病率约为1.2%，失明主要由白内障、沙眼、青光眼和盘尾丝虫病引起。眼部护理需求很高，但目前训练有素的人员太少，无法满足这一需求。因此，AITO在培训眼科护理专业人员方面的作用尤为重要。该机构培训眼科医生、专科护士、眼科外科医生（摘除白内障的医生）和眼镜制造商。培训在社区框架内和工作场所学徒制的框架内进行。学生必须达到培训开始时发放的“能力护照”中列出的特定目标。教授临床和外科眼科以及一般眼部护理。培训费用和助学金大多由国际狮子会视力第一计划或法国海外发展部支付。自1991年以来，AITO已培训至毕业：18名眼科医生；24名眼科外科医生；83名专科护士；16名眼镜制造商。
