La ffca organise une campagne de distribution de lunettes gratuites
introduction
Spectacle distribution campaign in Cameroon: here is the distribution of opticians of the Cameroonian Society of Ophthalmology. It shows the extreme concentration in large urban areas such as Yaoundé (Central region) and Douala (Littoral region) and the cruel lack or even absence of practitioners in the other regions. Similarly, the National Order of Opticians of Cameroon (ONOC) estimates the number of regularly registered practices at around 300, whose distribution follows the same pattern.
By comparison, the Democratic Republic of Congo, which in 2016 (the date of the study) had about 80 million inhabitants (3 times the population of Cameroon) for an area 4.9 times that of Cameroon, had only a hundred or so practices!
In October 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) released its first global report for vision.
The UN unanimously adopted the "Vision for All" resolution on 23/07/2021, which aims to provide access to eye care for all by 2030.
the data are clear:
2.2 billion is the estimated number of people with visual impairment or blindness.
1.1 billion casesof which 90% live in developing countries, could have been prevented due to a lack of access to primary eye care. This figure includes poor people as well as people with low and middle incomes.
Some basic elements.
Far be it from us to give you a lecture on medicine, but a few facts caught our attention
Myopia: It is a vision disorder that causes blurred vision at a distance. Most of the time it is a hereditary phenomenon. But recent studies have shown a significant increase in cases, mainly due to the prolonged use of screens (smartphones, tablets, computers) as well as a lack of outdoor activity. Nearly one in four children aged 6 to 9 who wear glasses is myopic. By the age of 18, this figure rises to 60%.
With age comes wisdom... But so does presbyopia! There is no escaping it from the age of 40. With the increase and ageing of the population, almost half of the world's population will be visually impaired by 2050 (WHO report)
our action
Concerned about well-being, Daughters and Sons of the Heart of Mama Aïcha decided to organise, within its means, a campaign for the visually impaired. We contacted the local authorities in the town of Souza, Bonaléa commune, Littoral region, and with their agreement, we launched an information campaign. The volunteers of the association FFCAThe first two days of the free eyewear distribution, accompanied by an ophthalmologist, arrived at the Souza district hospital. For 2 days of free distribution of glasses after consultation. The medical team gave us a very warm welcome. They provided us with a well adapted space so that the consultations could start at 8am.
We had hardly settled in when a crowd was already waiting for us. Patients but also curious people wanting to know if it was really free. The consultations followed one another thanks to the efficiency of our doctor and the assistance of nurses from the hospital and volunteers from the association. We see recognition on their faces and gratitude towards us. We spent two very intense days, full of emotions. The scheduled time (8am-4.30pm) was greatly exceeded but no one balked at the task. We returned home exhausted but happy to have been able to make our modest contribution to these families in need.
Sources:
National Order of Opticians of Cameroon (NOOC)
Cameroonian Ophthalmological Society
For those interested in full reports to download:
WHO World Vision Report (160 pages, size: 16.6 MB)
International Agency for Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) ( 2 documents in English: UNFoV Resolution 4 pages, size 194 Kb - UNFoV Resolution summary 2 pages, size 492 Kb.
