WV eye docs join 'Vision 2020,' leads region's battle for prevention of childhood blindness
Goodbye "mission mentality." And hello to the promise, "my community, my responsibility."
Such is now the battlecy of eye specialists in Western Visayas who have banded for a noble cause aimed at preventing early childhood blindness. While at it, guiding principles will also be laid down for eye doctors here "meant to ensure a high standard of care for our communities."
The region's advocacy campaign is led by the Western Visayas Chapter of the Philippine Academy of Ophthalmology (PAO) – Local Committee for Sight Preservation (LCSP). Thus, member-Ophthalmologists are working overtime to help spread the word - "Our community, our responsibility."
Hounded by the controversial "cataract-scam/cataract-scheme," the PAO has since been in the forefront of the government's unified fight against unethical practices of Filipino eye doctors. It was also the academy that was instrumental in 'fixing' the problem with local PAO executives here stressing that majority of its members are of good standing.
The advocacy will see the local launching of "Vision of 2020: Right to Sight" program. A global initiative jointly launched by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB), the ultimate goal is to prevent avoidable blindness by the year 2020.
As such, the PAO-LCSP sponsors "The Miracle Worker," a classic play on the inspiring story of a remarkable teacher and the success here of first graduate, deaf-blind Hellen Keller.
"The sponsorship of the play, "The Miracle Worker" serves as a launching vehicle for the Vision 2020 advocacy campaign and for the benefit of eye care services in Iloilo City and in the provinces of Iloilo and Guimaras, particularly for screening and management of early childhood blindness, low vision from cataract and systemic diseases and refractive errors," the PAO-WV said.
A book will also be published by the group called "Eye Book: Informative primer on basic eye carea nd the Vision 2020 program."
"It would interest not just eye patients or caregivers but also students, teachers and laymen in general," the PAO said. "It shall feature practical guidelines for referrals and conduct of "missions" as recommended by the Philippine Academy of Ophthalmology and by the Committee for Sight Preservation (national and local), compliance to which are meant to ensure a high standard of care for our communities."
PAO-WV spearheads Vision 2020 program as per WHO implementation guideline.
"The local committee's objective is to do away with the "mission mentality" in the availment of eye care services. The strategy of Vision 2020 is built upon a foundation of community participation with the guiding principles summarized in the acronym ISEE – Integrated into existing health care systems, Sustainable in terms of money and other resources, Equitable care and services available to all not just the wealthy and Excellence, a high standard of care throughout," the PAO-WV chapter explained.