Our vision screening program in Israel, done in collaboration with one of our partners,
Jewish
Healthcare International, identifies those needing reading
glasses, prescription and/or other assistance at several Ethiopian
absorption centers.
We had completed a pilot study at 7
centers with 9 visits with an Israeli optometrist utilizing his
automatic refractometer. We now have expanded to the north
to Kiryat Yam and Tiberias, as well as in
central Israel. There
are presently
about 13,000 immigrants in all the centers with 150-300 more coming in every month.
We also continue to work with the Ministry of Health (MOH) and Israeli
volunteers.
The component of the screening with the greatest impact includes identifying
those with pathology who will be referred to their specific HMOs (sick
funds) for care. Our Israeli colleagues then refer those identified with special needs
to the facilitator in the centers.
We will be part of a research project with the MOH requiring us to follow-up on all those
examined to identify any benefits and measurable outcomes.
Additional
programs will include hearing and dental screenings, which will be
done with other medical volunteers. Furthermore, we will be developing
curriculum in Public Health: health promotion, disease prevention,
womens' health, and general education including access and
entitlement to health care.
We will provide more specific information as the
program progresses.
MEVASERET ABSORPTION CENTER
We just returned from Israel where we continued the project in the Mevaseret Ethiopian Absorption center, the largest one in Israel.
We examined over 85 olim (immigrants) and our conclusion is as follows: 30% needed readers, 30% needed prescription glasses, 20% didn't need prescription, and 20% were referred for pathology to their respective HMOS for examinations and care.
The Jewish Agency Welfare director, along with her social workers and coodinators in each absorption center, is facilitating the referral, follow up, and continuity for those referred for care. This data will be included in a report to be published by the Israel School of Public Health and will also be reported to our partners, including the Ministry of Health and the Department of Public
Health.
EYE MOBILE
The eye mobile is still running by Ben Gurion University,
and as of the lastest
information, we have
reported a successful evaluation of the
Ethiopians
and Bedouin communities in the south.
We have been asked by Dr. Jacob Farbstein, the hospital director of Poria hospital near Tiberius, in cooperation with the medical director of the KH Klalit to launch another new eye mobile unit in the central Galilee. This unit will service many mixed communities including Arab Villages, Ethiopian populations and many others, including Kiryat Shmona kibbutz near the Lebanese border.
Funding will come from partners and we hope to be able to match part of their grants.
LINN CLINIC
The Linn clinic in Haifa continues to be the busiest Ophthalmology outpatient
facility in Israel and services all people (non denominational). The
clinic is functioning at over capacity under the direction of Dr. Claudette
Keroub, the regional director, along with her staff.
Due to the huge demand for outpatient care the clinic will be expanding
within the next 6 months. The argon and
Yag lasers have been replaced at no cost to us.
An additional donation for the replacement of Refractometer-Keratometer
for determining refractive and corneal problems for the clinic continues
to work well and provides state of the art examining.
Additionally, several vision projectors have been donated.
We continue to support the clinic with updated journals and ongoing consultants
to maintain quality care.
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