Last Update: 07/03/2012 14:40
The province of Sumba is one of three
main islands in Nusa Tenggara Timur. Sumba has a
very limited capacity to access general surgery, let alone any
specialist surgery.
The Sumba Eye Program, established in
2007, is a program targeted at delivering eye-care services to the
people of Sumba Island:
Each year, the eye team travels to
Sumba to provide ophthalmology and optometry services to the
Sumbanese people. The team consists of optometrists,
ophthalmologists and nurses who volunteer their time and skills to
improve eye care in Sumba .It performs consultations and operations
and distributes spectacles and sunglasses over one-week visits.
Approximately 650 patients are screened on each visit, with 80 to
100 patients receiving sight restoring surgery, improving their
function and mobility and enabling them to return to productive
work in the family and community. The predominant surgery carried
out by the visiting teams is cataract surgery
The program has achieved the following
between 2007 and 2011:
- 3434 Sumbanese have received a consultation
- 416 sight restoring surgical procedures have been
performed
- 2650 spectacles have been dispensed.
The Sumba Eye Program is supported
by:
- Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
- Sumba Foundation
- Rotary Clubs of Glenferrie and Kew
- Optometry Giving Sight
- private donors, the local community and other charitable
organisations.
The College provides administrative
support for organising team visits and coordinating equipment,
processing donations and other related requirements.
How can you help?
The Sumba Eye Program welcomes
donations to assist in providing life-changing eye operations for
the people of Sumba. Your donation will be used to purchase the
medical supplies and equipment needed to deliver cataract surgery,
perform eye examinations and train local doctors and nurses.
To make a donation by cash, credit
card or cheque, please complete the donation form (PDF 35 KB). All cheques must be
made payable to "Royal Australasian College of Surgeons".
Please return the completed form with
your donation to the Program Officer by mail, email or fax (see
contact details below).
Contact
Program Director - Dr Mark Ellis
Hawthorn Eye Clinic
829 Glenferrie Road
Kew VIC 3101 Australia
Telephone: +61 3 9819 2882
Fax: +61 3 9819 3413
Email: mellis@connexus.net.au
Optometrist - Mr Peter Stewart
Email: highonvision@bigpond.com
Program Officer - Stephanie Korin
International Development Program
Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
College of Surgeons' Gardens
250-290 Spring Street
East Melbourne VIC 3002 Australia
Telephone: +61 3 9249 1211
Fax: +61 3 9276 7431
Email: stephanie.korin@surgeons.org