Poor cataract surgical output: Eye care workers perspective in north central Nigeria

Abstract

Regular operational researches, proper deployment, and efficient use of human and material resources in addition to subsidized cost and appropriate health education to allay fear of surgery are steps that could enhance cataract surgical output.

Community eye care outreaches through collaborations with community-based organisations in resource-poor settings in Ilorin, Nigeria

“…Outreaches provide a veritable tool to bridging barriers to eye care services mainly when subsidised and support universal eye health. [ 5 ] This initiative used indigenous support to fund the programme. Quality eye services are provided for free using local funding for cataracts and other eye problems requiring surgeries.…”

“…[ 4 ] There are several factors accounting for the poor access to eye care in Nigeria, ranging from distant service points, cost, fear of surgery, lack of accompanying persons, human resource factors, and poor outcome of surgeries. [ 5 6 7 8 9 ] These are similar to barriers in accessing eye care in China and many other countries in Africa. [ 10 11 12 ] Initiatives to address this problem exist; these include models of community eye care in India[ 13 ] and the Hilton Cataract Initiative project in collaboration with Eye Foundation Centre[ 11 ] in Nigeria.…”

Assessment of patients waiting and service times in the ophthalmology clinic of a public tertiary hospital in Nigeria

“…20,5 Adepoju and colleagues in a study evaluating the human resource development for Vision 2020 in developing countries reported adequate number of eye care workers in Kwara state, Nigeria, but the challenge is in the staff mix and gaps in cadres. 4 The ratio of Resident doctors (trainee Ophthalmologists) to Consultant Ophthalmologists is low at UITH. At UITH, Resident doctors perform the initial consultation then, the supervising Consultants outline the final management plan for the patients.…”

“…And also, that, the present patients protocol makes patients actually spend more time doing other things not related to the actual business they came for. 4 In another survey sampling the opinion of the patients that use the Eye care services of the same tertiary hospital, majority still reported long waiting time particularly for doctors' consultation as the short coming in the services they received. 3 The recommendation by the Institute of Medicine (IOM), United State of America is that, at least 90% of patients should be seen within 30 min of their scheduled appointment time.…”

“…1 A major factor identified from a previous study as a cause of dissatisfaction in Eye care services is the long waiting time in outpatient clinics. 2,3,4 Long waiting time translate to man-hour loss, and loss of income to the patients and their relatives. A survey of Eye care workers' opinion on ways to improve the cataract surgical rate in Kwara State, Nigeria has identified bad service delivery in terms of the patients waiting too long for doctors' consultation as a barrier to uptake of services.…”