Orbis and AIIMS unveil manual on mapping of HR and infrastructure for pediatric eye care services

The manual is aimed at mapping and boosting the human and material resources available for the treatment and management of visual impairment in India

In a bid to enhance eye care service delivery in India, Orbis, an international non-profit dedicated to the prevention of avoidable blindness, has unveiled the Eye Care Manual on Mapping of Human Resource and Infrastructure for Pediatric Eye Care Services in India, in partnership with Dr Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). The manual is aimed at mapping and boosting the human and material resources available for the treatment and management of visual impairment in India.

The unveiling of the manual is the result of effort by Dr R.P. Centre, AIIMS and Orbis to respond to the growing concern around the availability of manpower and infrastructure in the eye healthcare industry in the country. A 2020 national survey on HR and Infrastructure Mapping for Eye Health in India available as the India Vision Atlas under the National Program for the Control of Blindness and Visual Impairment, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, showed that a lot more needs to be done to improve pediatric eye care.

The unveiling of the manual was anchored by Dr Jeevan Singh Titiyal, Chief, Dr R.P. Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences; Dr Praveen Vashist, Professor and Officer In-Charge, Community Ophthalmology; and Derek Hodkey, President and CEO, Orbis International among other key members of Dr R.P. Centre, AIIMS, followed by discussions on strengthening the partnership to bring about a positive transformation in the field of pediatric eye health in India.

The Manual on Mapping of Human Resource and Infrastructure for Pediatric Eye Care Services in India was developed to provide data regarding availability of services as well as infrastructure for pediatric eye care services in India. The All-India Ophthalmological society (AIOS) provided the database of ophthalmologists to find the names and contact details of ophthalmologists in the districts. The conclusion of this survey was included in the India Vision Atlas. The India Vision Atlas under the National Survey on Human Resources and Infrastructure tab provides information about Eye Care Indicators such as Eye Institute Population Ratio, Ophthalmologist Population Ratio, Optometrist Population Ratio, Paediatric Eye Institute Population Ratio and Paediatric Ophthalmologist Population Ratio. The Eye Care institute tab provides information about institutes such as ownership, facilities and services depending on state and district which can also be downloaded as a PDF. This manual highlights the status of paediatric eye care services in India. It provides a detailed insight into infrastructure including the supportive human resources to provide pediatric ophthalmology services.

Dr Jeevan Singh Titiyal, Chief, Dr R. P. Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, in his address during the unveiling of the manual said, “Mitigating childhood blindness requires assessing and bridging the gap in service delivery through mapping of resources and infrastructure followed by informed decision making”.

Dr Praveen Vashist, Professor and Officer In-charge, Community Ophthalmology, Dr R. P. Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, AIIMS, who was also the Principal Investigator for the study informed that, “The manual on Mapping of Human Resource and Infrastructure for Pediatric Eye Care Services is an effort towards providing evidence-based information to strengthen the training needs for pediatric eye care services in the country”.

Derek Hodkey, President and CEO, Orbis International commented that, “We are excited at the extent of work being done in partnership with Dr R. P. Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, AIIMS and the trend around pediatric eye care being captured in this manual on ‘Mapping of Human Resource and Infrastructure for Paediatric Eye Care Services in India”.

On his part, Dr Rishi Raj Borah, Country Director, Orbis said, “This publication in collaboration with Dr. R.P. Centre provides an in-depth analysis and insight on trends of pediatric eye care services across different geographies in India.”