Long before the outbreak of Ebola and the COVID-19 pandemic, access to eye health care in Liberia was difficult and nearly impossible for rural community dwellers. As a result of this, New Sight Eye Center is proposing a comprehensive rural community eye health care in rural Liberia, focusing on ten communities and targeting ten thousand beneficiaries in Margibi County.
Provision of eye health care services in Liberia remain a challenge for government, particularly in rural Liberia. According to the National Eye Health Program at the Ministry of Health, approximately 90% of rural community dwellers have limited access to eye health care services. Thus, increasing the prevalence of cataract blindness to 60.4% of the total population. Eight of the fifteen counties in Liberia have limited eye health care facility.
New Sight Eye Center is proposing a comprehensive rural community eye health care services at no cost to beneficiaries in four counties in rural Liberia, focusing on ten communities within Margibi County and targeting ten thousand beneficiaries. Of the ten thousand beneficiaries, 30% will receive glasses, 40% will receive eye treatment 10% will receive eye surgery and 2% expected to be children and the rest will receive eye health care information.
The direct long term impact of this project will include: a. Percentage decrease in the prevalence of blindness and visual impairment within the selected county. b. 10% of community dwellers shall be Self-reliance as a result of sight restoration. c. Poverty reduction through increase in economic activities as a result of access to eye health d. Enhance performance of 30% of literate folks within the communities due to availability of spectacles.
