An Assessment of the Human Resource in Eye Care in the Upper East Region, Ghana

Ss, Merepa; Akowuah, Prince Kwaku; As, Abazele; Ja, Gyamfi; Na, Gyekye-Darko; Pt, Djeagbo; Adjei-Anang, Joseph

doi:10.15406/aovs.2017.07.00245

Cited by 3 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…WHO has proposed a sta ng ratio of 4, 4, 4, and 10 ophthalmologists, cataract surgeons, optometrists, and ophthalmic nurses per million population, respectively. Similar to regions in Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, and other countries in sub-Saharan Africa, in our study, southern Ethiopia has met the suggested HReH targets, except for optometrists, in 2022/23 [20][21][22]. Only 9 (18.8%) facilities employ managers (Coordinators) for the eye care facility, and the survey revealed bottlenecks and inadequate placement among ophthalmology staff.…”

Section: Output Of Available Hrehsupporting

confidence: 67%

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Assessment of Human Resource for Eye Health Services in Southern Ethiopia.

MEHARI,

Nariani

2024

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Background Human resources in eye health are critical to significant reductions in blindness and low vision on a global and regional scale. Blindness and visual impairment affect the quality of life, poverty rates, and employment and educational opportunities of people with visual impairment. This study aimed to assess the availability and distribution of human resources for eye care to determine gaps in eliminating preventable and treatable blindness. Methods The study was a descriptive cross-sectional study. Data was collected on the type and number of eye care professionals and their distribution from all government, private, and NGO/Mission eye care facilities in the two regions. Result Out of the 77 public hospitals and 642 public health centers, only 39 (5.4%) have been provided eye care services. A total of 48 facilities were provided with eye care services, each of which served 388,765 populations in two regions. Thirty-nine (81.3%) were government-owned, 5 (10.4%) were private for-profit, and 4 (8.3%) were NGO/Mission owned. In these facilities, a total of 217 eye care professionals were practicing: of these, 30 were ophthalmologists, 10 cataract surgeons, 93 optometrists, 62 ophthalmic nurses, 6 ophthalmic officers, one low vision specialist, and 15 optical technicians. The mean number of cataract operations performed per unit was 860 (Range: 30–2,800). The CSR of the SNNPR and Sidama regions was 1086 operations/ million population/year in 2022. From all level eye care centers in the study area, 50% provided cataract surgery services, 19% provided glaucoma surgery services, and 90% provided refraction services. Only one facility had pan-retinal photocoagulation (PRP) and Intravitreal injection services. However, none of the facilities provided a vitro-retinal surgery service. Conclusion The human resource for eye care in southern Ethiopia must be improved, falling far below the numbers required by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the IAPB Africa Strategic Plan. Eye care professionals need to be better distributed, as there is a severe shortage of ophthalmic professionals in rural regions. Most of the human resources for the eye health workforce in the area are located in urban cities.

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Section: Output Of Available Hrehsupporting

confidence: 67%

“…It is associated with low socioeconomic status and limited career development opportunities for eye care professionals. This, therefore, affects the uptake of eye care services in these underserved areas [20][21][22].…”

Section: Output Of Available Hrehmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessment of Human Resource for Eye Health Services in Southern Ethiopia.

MEHARI,

Nariani

2024

Preprint

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“…In general, the most remote and poorest regions of low-income countries are the most disadvantaged, have less access to eye health services [25]. The unavailability of eye health services and geographic and financial limitations for their access can be pointed out as possible causes for a higher prevalence of presenting VI [26,27], since the five districts involved do not have optometrists or ophthalmologists for eye health services. The districts of Mogovolas, Malema, Rapale, and Meconta each have an ophthalmology technician (with an average level of education and training lasting 18 months), and Mossuril does not have any professional [28].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Prevalence of Visual Impairment and Refractive Errors among a Youth Population in Mozambique: Evidence of the Need for Intervention

et al. 2021

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Visual impairment (VI) can significantly interfere in the child’s daily activities and quality of life, having a negative effect on their development and learning. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of VI and associated demographic factors in students examined during the program “Moçambique te vejo melhor”. This study was cross-sectional and retrospective, based on the 2018/19 edition of the program. Eye examinations were performed in secondary school students, aged between 12 and 20 years, of five districts in Nampula province. The examination included visual acuity, non-cycloplegic refraction and assessment of the anterior and posterior segment and ocular adnexa. The prevalence of uncorrected, presenting and best-corrected VI found was 18.3%, 10.8%, and 5.0%, respectively. Refractive error (RE) had a prevalence of 24.7%, and the age groups between 15–17 years and 18–20 years were significantly associated with myopia (with OR: 4.9 and OR: 8.8, respectively), as well as the 11th and 12th grade (OR: 8.1 and OR: 10.7, respectively), and Malema district had association with myopia (ORa: 0.4) and hyperopia (ORa: 0.4 and OR: 0.3) as a protective factor. The prevalence of RE and VI was relatively high, showing the need for greater intervention at the school level.

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“…It is globally estimated that 2.2 billion people have visual impairment (VI) or blindness, among these, at least 1 billion could have been treated or prevented if they had received adequate care [ 1 ]. The high prevalence of VI often comes from the unavailability, limitation, and restricted access to eye health services [ 2 ]. Africa is a great example of this, as less than 1% of the global number of ophthalmologists work in Africa and only 13 African countries have achieved the recommended minimum number of eye care professionals per population, which is reflected in the high burden of VI on the continent (with an estimated 4 0.8 million blind and 16.6 million visually impaired) [ 3 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessment of the distribution of human and material resources for eye health in the public sector in Nampula, Mozambique

et al. 2023

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Background The unavailability of human and material resources can affect access to eye health services, constituting an obstacle in the fight against avoidable visual impairment. This study aimed to assess the availability and distribution of human and material resources for eye health in the public sector in Nampula province. Methods A mixed method approach was used, which included document reviews (to extract information regarding the number of professionals and inhabitants in each district) and application of a questionnaire to heads of the ophthalmology department in each health facility (to obtain the list of available equipment). The ratios of eye health professionals per population in Nampula province and each of its districts were calculated and evaluated taking into account the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO). Based on the level of care of each health facility, the availability of equipment was evaluated. Results Nampula Province has not reached the recommended ratio of eye health professionals per population in the different categories (ophthalmic technicians with 0.8 per 100 thousand inhabitants; optometrists and ophthalmologists with 0.4 and 0.2 per 250 thousand inhabitants, respectively). Most districts of Nampula did not reach the recommended ratio in the three categories of professionals, except Nampula City (provincial capital). However, there was a greater concentration of professionals and facilities with eye health services in the provincial capital. Primary and secondary level health facilities lacked some equipment to provide eye health services within their scope. Conclusions There is an unequal distribution of the workforce in Nampula and the centralization of surgical services at the Central Hospital of Nampula level. Therefore, there is a need to review resource distribution strategies and decentralization policy of eye health services in Nampula.

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An Assessment of the Human Resource in Eye Care in the Upper East Region, Ghana

Cited by 3 publications

References 12 publications

Assessment of Human Resource for Eye Health Services in Southern Ethiopia.

Assessment of Human Resource for Eye Health Services in Southern Ethiopia.

The Prevalence of Visual Impairment and Refractive Errors among a Youth Population in Mozambique: Evidence of the Need for Intervention

Assessment of the distribution of human and material resources for eye health in the public sector in Nampula, Mozambique

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