Who we are
Cataract Free Regionin by Dr M. A Muhit
Evolution of CSF
Dr. M A Muhit (Research Fellow, ICEH) started his work in May 2001 with financial and technical assistance from the International Centre for Eye Health (ICEH) of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) in order to determine the causes of childhood blindness among Bangladeshi children. He completed his research on the causes of childhood blindness in 2003. The research focused on finding the causes of childhood blindness in Bangladesh and what interventions were needed. The Childhood Blindness project, Bangladesh (CBPB) team visited all 64 districts of Bangladesh between September 2001 and September 2002. The work began in Rajshahi until all six divisions were covered. The team identified 2,500 visually disabled children during this period. The CBPB team received full cooperation from various government departments, particularly the Social Welfare Department.
It was found that these children and their primary care givers were unaware about what could be done for them. As a result of this, the CBPB signed Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with four hospitals where 850 children received free sight restoring surgery funded by the CBPB. These hospitals included the following:
- National Institute of Ophthalmology, Dhaka
- Islamia Eye Hospital, Dhaka
- BNSB Eye Hospital, Sirajgonj
- Bangladesh Jatiya Andhya Kalyan Shamiti, Comilla.
The research Recommendations, Experiences and invented Process The Key Informant Method (KIM) were institutionalized into CSF in 2002 with collaboration of ICEH to work with blind and on blindness.
Training of Key Informant
Key Informant Method
The Key Informant Method (KIM) was developed out of the CBPB study. It is the community approach that CSF uses for case finding. The KIM identifies prominent and respected members of local communities such as teachers and Imams to undertake a short training course in their area on how to identify blind children. These volunteer Key Informants (KI) then compile lists of visually impaired and blind children in their respective communities with support of Community Mobilisers (CM); a Regional Coordination Officer (RCO) collects and verifies the list. A mobile team visits that particular area at the end of the month with trained ophthalmologists who examine and refer children. This method has been tested against the door-to-door and was proven extremely effective. Disability Case Finding through KIM will continue to be a priority area for CSF.
