The Prevention of Blindness program encompasses three distinct projects aimed at addressing various aspects of visual impairment and promoting inclusive eye care services within communities. These projects include the Vision Impact Project (VIP) located in Meru County, the Meru Inclusive Trachoma (MINT) initiative also situated in County, and the Promoting Inclusive Delivery of Eye Care (PRIDE) project based in Isiolo County. In the year 2023, the POB program reached 325982 (190,566 F, 135,416 M) people in both Meru and Isiolo covering 95% of the target. This has been realized in collaboration with CBM and County Government of Meru.
The objective of the project is to reduce the prevalence of visual impairment and avoidable blindness in Meru County by ensuring access to inclusive eye care services through peek technology. The project adopted a reverse referral approach, ensuring that screening, treatment, and surgical services are brought closer to the community which has proved to be effective and efficiency, resulting in reducing cost burden, patient centered care, continuity of care, helps to streamline the healthcare experience and ensure that the patient's care is coordinated and cohesive and lastly but equally important enhancing adherence levels to treatment. County eye healthcare providers and community health workers conduct treatment and screening exercises to ensure the continuity and sustainability of the provision of inclusive eye care services.
1.Community Eye Health (CEH): Over the project's five-year duration, the objective is to reach 724,346 community members, constituting 60% of the total population. To achieve this, the project has adopted a door-to-door or household eye screening approach.
2.School Eye Health (SEH): The project aims to cater to a school population of 366,534, which is 80% of the total school population in Meru County. Screening and treatment are conducted within the school premises on the same day, ensuring a 100% adherence rate to referrals.
