Seva in Madagascar

Seva’s work in Madagascar began with a request for a small amount of funding to jump start a community outreach program in the Vakinanakaratra Region of central Madagascar.

Seva Canada funds (provided by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and the May and Stanley Smith Charitable Trust) were given to the Fitsaboana Maso Loterana Hospital in Antsirabe, Vakinakaratra’s capital city. Alcon Canada donated over $5000 in surgical and medical supplies to the outreach program.

This fledgling community outreach program has led to an 85% increase in service delivery in the Vakinanakaratra Region in less than 2 years. The success of this program caught the attention of the Ministry of Heath in Madagascar and training programs are currently underway in Antsirabe with the intent of building capacity for community ophthalmology programs throughout Madagascar.

Seva, through our partner in Africa, the Kilimanjaro Centre for Community Ophthalmology, plans to expand our programs in Madagascar by funding more community outreach and by supporting the development of a pediatric ophthalmology program in Madagascar.

On the right are patients waiting to be seen at the outreach clinic in Mendoto, a small village about 150 km from Antsirabe.

This particular outreach was held in November of 2009. When the team from Fitsaboana Hospital in Antsirabe arrived at about 8am there were over 300 people in the courtyard of the local hospital. We assumed they were patients waiting to be seen at all the hospital departments, but as we started to set up we realized they were all there to have their eyes screened and treated. The team quickly organized the room we were given: a visual acuity chart and registration desk was set up, there were 2 examination areas for the ophthalmologists, the counselors, who provide information to those requiring more care like cataract surgery or low vision services, had a small table and a makeshift pharmacy was created. Patients were divided into two lines: children and adults, and each ophthalmologist took one line. Periodically someone was sent to scout the lines to make sure those who required the most complex care or were very elderly, were brought to the front of the line.

In the first two hours 4 children were diagnosed with congenital or developmental cataract in both eyes and appointments for surgery were made. Many more were seen who could not be helped – children blind because of damage to their corneas – many of whose sight could have been restored if they lived in a developed country. Children with birth defects or severe low vision were referred to the counselors so they could learn where to find help. Twenty-four adults were scheduled for cataract surgery and again, there were many more who simply could not be helped.