Sight-saving charity, Orbis, is delivering a project in the Copperbelt province of Zambia, tackling the difficulties of delivering eyecare in rural areas by providing 250 bikes to Community Eye Health Champions (CEHCs). With over half of the region living in hard-to-reach locations, which even cars find hard to navigate, these bicycles enable those delivering eyecare to overcome these geographical obstacles and support villages in need of assistance.
The amazing and dedicated champions delivering this project are also protecting their own vision though cycling too. A recent study published in the International Journal of Ophthalmology showed that for every hour of riding a day, a person’s risk of developing cataract could be reduced by 2%.
This work, which is part of the Qatar Creating Vision (QCV) initiative, funded by the Qatar Fund for Development, was launched in July last year. It focuses on expanding sight saving services for children, with 40% of the 2.5 million people in the region, being under the age of 15. What’s more, 60% are affected by poverty.
With childhood vision loss, it’s vital that support is provided quickly before permanent damage can occur. A lack of access to eyecare can impact educations and livelihoods, creating a cycle of poverty – delayed access to treatment can have a long-term devastating impact.
World Bicycles Day celebrates the simple, reliable, clean and environmentally friendly means of transportation. Not to mention low cost and easy to maintain. Bicycles were recently distributed in Mpongwe District to Community Eye Care Champions after receiving training in primary eyecare. Bicycles help them to cover their catchment areas, reaching community members with awareness and screening services, creating demand for services, referrals and patient follow-up.
The district is vast rural area, accommodating over 10,000 inhabitants. Many CEHCs used to travel long distances on foot. With the bikes, there can now be swift and efficient travel to reach those with eye conditions such as cataract or refractive error. Mpongwe joins the nine other districts in the Copperbelt province benefitting from this initiative.
Nchimunya Kalangwa, a recipient from Intanda Health Post, expressed gratitude for the QCV initiative, emphasising how it has amplified their ability to serve the community: "Previously, our efforts to support patients with eye conditions were constrained by transportation challenges. With the bicycles provided, we can now extend our reach to remote villages, ensuring more individuals access essential eyecare services.”
In the first nine months of this project, almost 19,000 children have been screened, more than 580 surgeries conducted, around 670 frontline workers trained and over 35 public film screenings and radio segments delivered, to educate audiences on how to look after their eye health and that of their children, and where to seek help if their sight is failing.
For more information please visit: me.orbis.org
