Jappineh Eye Clinic update

African Oyster Trust director Lady Kira Dalton reports on the latest eye Jappineh Eye Clinic, which helped more than 90 patients in a single day at a cost of £2.50 per eye-test.

On Saturday 16th March the African Oyster Trust (AOT) helped to organise the Jappineh Eye Clinic which 91 patients attended.

It took place at the Jappineh Health Centre, run by the Trust. We provide all the medicines for the clinic and pay a small allowance to the local sight team from Soma Hospital, comprising an Optometrist, Surgeon and two students, for working at the weekend.

We test using an ‘illiterate eye chart’ (they have to say which way the legs are pointing on the letter E). Anyone who cannot see the middle line is referred to the sight team, who then check for refractions and issue them with trial frames. They choose the nearest available from a large collection of donated second-hand spectacles. Some also get reading glasses, as the chance of finding bifocals to suit is very unlikely.

Others are referred to the eye surgeon at Soma, about half an hour away.  There they diagnose more serious problems and prescribe medicines for glaucoma, and schedule cataract or other surgery. The Soma Hospital team are happy to work with the Trust as we were able to donate a slit lamp and other equipment to their unit a few years ago.

Usually, we have a small budget to fund a few operations for those who can’t afford to travel to Soma.  This includes the elderly, as this is a country where no pensions are paid.  

Of the patients who attended this year, 5 needed cataract surgery, and 3 have dates arranged.  25 will need future surgery for cataracts and 22 others for pterygiums.  Both these conditions are related to lots of sun exposure, which is why we give our staff sunglasses.  9 patients received glasses, including 2 children, and many were given eye drops.

The total cost of this the Jappineh Eye Clinic was 15,000 dalasis, which is about £230 - roughly £2.50 per patient - which I’m sure you will agree is money well spent. And there are enough eye drops and spectacles left to last the whole year.  This means that Jappineh Health Centre can now organise days like this maybe twice a year for a few pounds (to pay for transportation costs and providing lunch and rewarding the Soma people for working over the weekend).

A visit to the optician is something we take for granted in the UK and the rest of the developed world, but in The Gambia it simply doesn’t happen. The impact of this one day will have lasting benefits for the people who attended and help them to see a brighter, more in-focus future.