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| Kathmandu, Saturday March 08, 2003 Falgun 24, 2059. |
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Tilganga Hospital poised to
export lens to developed world
By Perina Pathak & Manish Gautam
KATHMANDU, March 7 ; A high level delegation
from Fred Hollows Foundation (FHF), Australia, has entered into an agreement with Tilganga
Eye Centre to export Intraocular Lens (IOL) to developed countries. IOL is used for the
cataract eye surgery.
Prior to this, the Centre had been exporting
IOLs to over 50 countries world-wide. Currently, the lenses are being exported to the
developing countries of Latin America, South Asia, South East Asia, South Africa and
Africa.
Dr. Sanduk Ruit, Medical Director of the IEC,
who is currently in the capital, told The Kathmandu Post: "Though the IOL was
exported to various developing countries, this new agreement has opened the door for us to
export the lens to other developed countries, as well. Which is a good opportunity for
us."
Expressing his happiness Dr. Riut, who is also
known as a ‘Henry Ford of Eye Care’, said that experts from other countries were
highly impressed with the product of the Tilganga hospital. The IOL produced in Nepal, he
said, has been regarded as world-class.
An IOL produced in Tilganga costs only Rs 350
(3.75$); whereas the same lens cost four time higher in Australia — an IOL there is
sold from Rs 12,000 (150$) or more, according to experts.
"But from now onwards, the Tilganga needs
to increase its production," said Lynskey, who just returned from a trekking
expedition in the Himalaya. "This is a good opportunity for the centre to advance its
service and increase the production."
The twenty-five delegates (each from the member
country of the FHF) have congregated here in the capital to share their experiences with
the doctors of Tilganga. The Tilganga is also considered as the most advanced eye care
centre among various eye-care centres around the world that are funded by the FHF.
"Tilganga has developed good management in
eye care, which is replicable in various countries and can lean a lot from here,"
said Mike Lynskey, Chief Executive of the Fred Hollows Foundation, who was for a week
visit at Tilganga.
This centre has been an example in providing
both qualitative and quantitative service to all the eye patients, said Lynskey. "And
this centre is a leading example to provide high value, quality and comprehensive eye
related disease."
Expressing his dissatisfaction over the slow
development of eye centre in other country, Lynskey said, "Tilganga has progressed a
lot because it has spend a lot of time and effort for the development."
Nigel Milan, the FHF chairman, said that among
all the member countries of the foundation, Tilganga has become an example "for which
Dr. Ruit’s dedication and devotion is unforgettable, (and there are) impressive
medical facilities than in other parts of the world."
In recent times, the FHF has been providing
funds to different organisations in 29 countries, including Australia, but mostly the
developing countries.
It is estimated that about 45 million people
world wide are currently blind and 135 million people with low vision comprising total of
180 million people with some degree of visual impairment. Whereas people living in
developing countries are ten times more likely to become blind comparing to developed
country.
And in Nepal it is estimated that 0.84 percent
of the population has been found to be blind, and cataracts accounted for two thirds of
blindness.
So to provide high-quality, affordable and
ophthalmic facility to the people Tilganga Eye Centre was established in 1994. And within
its ten years service the Centre has been producing around 150,000 IOL every year.
Tilganga was opened with a view to ensure
prevention and pre-treatment of curable blindness. Other than the IOL laboratory, Tilganga
also boasts an eye bank and surgi-centre, which provide both treatment and surgical
training. Tilganga has also been providing various free treatments by organising Out Reach
Micro-Surgery Eye Clinic (eye camps) in various remote areas.
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