AID cooperative agreement no. OTR-0158-A-00-9195-00 with Helen Keller International, Inc. to progressively integrate eye care interventions into sustainable health systems to restore sight, train providers, and rehabilitate the irrevocably blind in Tanzania, The Philippines, Peru, Sri Lanka, and Morocco

The PREYECARE program involves a mix of training support and services. General enhancement of clinical eye care services, trachoma prevention and treatment of infectious eye disease, prevention and treatment of xerophthalmia and Vitamin A deficiency, cataract surgery, education of blind children, and rehabilitation services constitute some of the program"s possible elements. In the Philippines and Sri Lanka, the program will be transferred to national agencies by the end of this project. In the other four countries, PREYECARE will make possible start up, addition, or geographic expansion of eye care interventions. Under this grant, training modules will be developed, personnel trained, equipment improved, start-up supplies donated, and clinical services improved. In addition, HKI will distribute information and hold formal and informal meetings with government officials to increase awareness of eye care issues, and will share lessons learned with other developing country governments and PVOs through a thrice-yearly newsletter, PRO-VISION. In the project"s fourth year, HKI will produce a state-of-the-art technical manual on integrating low-cost eye care into primary health care. Finally, the project will strengthen HKI"s headquarters technical capabilities by permitting the hiring of additional professional, managerial, and backstopping personnel and funding new office equipment and annual meetings of the PREYECARE Country Directors.