Evaluation report, International Eye Foundation Kenya rural blindness prevention project

Special evaluation covers the period 4/80-5/81 and is based on site visits, interviews with project personnel, and a review of the attached annual report (XD-AAJ-210-B). Project progress has been mixed. Although 1,748 people have received eye examinations, and the one community-based primary eye care program established to date (in Saradidi) is serving 15,000 people, only one of 17 planned Mobile Eye Units is in operation. In addition, lack of coordination in planning, execution, and funding of field operations and in assigning staff has led to uneven delivery of services and excess dependence on the International Eye Foundation (IEF), the contractor, as a source of eyeglasses and drugs. IEF has provided primary eye care and blindness prevention (BP) instruction to 40 clinic officer students, 60 nursing students, 15 ophthalmology students, 54 village health workers, 44 rural health trainees, and 25 teachers of the blind; training of medical students has been minimal. In addition, curricula on the anatomy and physiology of the eye and on diagnosing and treating common eye disorders were developed; at least seven seminars have been conducted; educational booklets were written and presented at regional African meetings; and a BP film is being prepared. Data collection, analysis, and dissemination are not centralized, but the IEF plans to extend to remote areas a regional eye disease survey used for planning and is developing a computerized surveillance system for eye disease data (using coded forms considered inadequate by the evaluators). It is recommended that the IEF: (1) purchase a two-way radio for rapid communication; (2) continue the eye disease survey and share the survey methodology with other countries; (3) evaluate curricula, teaching programs, and training materials and develop an instructional slide program; (4) establish links with a U.S. laboratory to diagnose trachoma; (5) allow ophthalmologists to attend U.S. professional meetings; (6) improve supervision of opthalmologists; and (7) establish a stronger advisory committee including representatives of all participating groups.