Sustainability Of Refractive Error (RE) Component Under
Compressive Eye Care (CEC) Project Of Sightsavers Bangladesh Country Office

Rofiqul Islam

Purpose
To develop financially and programmatically sustainable RE component in CEC project with Sightsavers supported eye care partners.

Methods
Sightsavers has been working in Bangladesh since 1973. It's work with local partners to bring eye care within reach of the poorest communities. RE component included in the community outreach programme from 2003 but uptake of RE services including dispensing spectacles (10%-20% of prescriptions) were very poor and costing was also high i.e. not cost effective/sustainable.

In 2007 during the new phase project development Sightsavers discussed with the concerned staff and management of partner organisations. After discussion all of us agreed that Sightsavers will provide all financial support after minus the revenue generation from the patients to run the RE services.

We set the targets, deployed staff, and training of the staff, purchase instrument and spectacles, spectacles shop in the hospital premises, provision of spectacles delivery in the community outreach programme and school screening programme.

Results

• 5 projects out of 7 are financially and programmatically sustainable in the end of 2009
• Increased dispensing of spectacles up to 60% from partners outlets
• Saved money from RE services and cross subsides for cataract surgery for the ultra poor patients
• Partners expanded their programme vertically

Conclusion
In 2009 Sightsavers supported partners performed 167,000 RE services (prescribed) and partner wise range was 10,000 – 32,000 depends on their capacity. Partners faced the problems when trained staff left the organisation. Manpower development is a continuous process for the project.