The comprehensive eye services of the Sagarmatha Choudhary Eye Hospital (SCEH) in Lahan were established and consolidated with the support of Christoffel Blindenmission (CBM) in co-operation with the Nepali partners Social Welfare Council (SWC) and Nepal Netra Jyoti Sangh (NNJS). The present five-year agreement was renewed with the Ministry of Health, the SWC, NNJS and CBM.

Throughout the last 22 years the SCEH has grown from a small eye unit to a large volume treatment centre, which provides high quality eye services at an affordable cost to a huge population in eastern Nepal and northern India.

Please select one of the following topics of our Annual Report 2004 by clicking the blue link:

Outpatients:

Special Services at SCEH, Lahan

A TOPCON Fundus Camera and a Pulsair Tonometer were added as special equipment.

Vitreo-Retinal Department:
The Vitreo-Retinal specialist Dr. Chirag Bhatt joined SCEH end of May 2004. With his support 458 retinal surgeries/procedures were performed in 2004.

Paediatric Department:
8,074 Children were examined. 720 underwent surgery, out of which 565 were cataract surgeries with 96% IOL implantation.

Corneal Ulcer Department:
1,640 patients with corneal ulcer received treatment according to the lab findings.

Low Vision Department:
265 patients with low vision were assessed, including 65 children, and received special low vision devices and counselling.

Services to incurable blind:
Counselling services have been provided at the base hospital to 685 blind persons, including 79 children.

Outreach:

Subsidy to poor patients:
95% of all patients pay a total of NPR 900-1,100 (USD 12.70-15.60) for major surgeries.
2,550 poor patients presenting at the SCEH or in the Screening Camps, mainly from Nepal, received subsidized or free treatment.

Teaching and Training:

Sutureless ECCE/IOL Training:
4 ophthalmologists from various countries received short- or long-term training in sutureless cataract surgery (Fishhook Technique).

Ophthalmic Assistant Training:
After a three-months theoretical training at Ran-Ambika Lumbini Eye Hospital, Bhairahawa 7 candidates are undergoing a three-years practical ophthalmic assistant training at SCEH Lahan.

Various other Trainings:
· Prof. Christian Mardin from the Erlangen University in Germany provided clinical training to ophthalmologists, residents and ophthalmic assistants.
He was also the main speaker during the Eastern Regional Workshop at Lahan.

· Prof. Arin Chatterjee from India provided a one-month refresher training for ophthalmologists and ophthalmic assistants.

· 2 batches of 20 Nurses from Unique Educational Academy Rajbiraj received a two-weeks training at SCEH.

· 15 paramedicals are undergoing a six-months training at SCEH Lahan.

· 17 Traditional Healers received a three-days training in primary eye care in collaboration with HMG Udayapur district hospital.

· 2 OT staff of Ramlal Golchha Eye Hospital, Biratnagar visited SCEH Lahan twice for short-term training.

· 2 Ophthalmic Assistants of SCEH received a short-term Low Vision refresher training in Pokhara and Lahan.

· 62th All India Ophthalmological Society Conference (AIOS), Varanasi, 8.-11.1.2004:
Dr. A. Hennig: 3 SICS Instruction Courses: Sutureless Cataract Surgery, Fishhook Technique; Sutureless non-phaco Cataract Surgery in Nepal; Fishhook Technique
Dr. Jitendra Kumar: Childhood Cataract Treatment in Rural Nepal,
Dr. Pradipta Kundu: Treatment of Suppurative Keratitis in Rural Nepal.

· One-week Management of Eye Care Delivery Course, Aravind Eye Hospital, Madurai,18.-24.1.2004: The Administrator Mr. B. Mahato.

· 1st Eastern Regional Workshop, SCEH Lahan, 19./20. March, 2004 for 30 participants representing eye hospitals/eye department of the eastern region of Nepal.

· Annual Conference of Delhi Ophthalmological Society (DOS), 3./4. April 2004:
Dr. A. Hennig: Keynote Lecture: Fishhook Technique, 6 years Experience.
SICS Workshop: Fishhook Technique, Difficult Situations.

· Annual Meeting of German Ophthalmic Surgeons (DOC), Nürnberg, 24.-27.June 2004:
Dr. A. Hennig: Keynote Lecture: An Eye Hospital in Nepal; Symposium on Long-Term Assignments in Developing Countries; Round Table Discussion on Cataract Surgery in Developing Countries - Which Technique?

· 2nd Eastern Regional Workshop, BPKHIS Dharan, 22. August 2004:
Dr. A. Hennig: Future Ophthalmic Work in the Eastern Nepal Region,
Dr. Rajesh Ranjan Kumar: Learning Curve in Phacoemulsification,
Dr. Pradipta Kundu: B-Scan, Interesting Cases,
Dr. Chirag Bhatt: Dropped Nucleus and its Management.

· Workshop at BP Koirala Lions Centre for Ophthalmic Studies, KTM, 9. September 2004:
Dr. Pradipta Kundu: Some interesting B-Scan cases; Suppurative Keratitis, Treatment and Outcome at Lahan Eye Hospital.

· 7th General IAPB Assembly, Dubai, 19.-24. September 2004:
Dr. A. Hennig: Symposium on Management of High Volume Cataract Surgery

· National Workshop on Low Vision: KTM, 24./25. November 2004:
B. Mahato and Satya Narayan Singh: Low Vision Services at Lahan Eye Hospital.

· Workshop on "Phaco, Microphaco and SICS: Basics and Beyond", Aravind Eye Hospital, Madurai, 10.-12. December 2004:
Dr. A. Hennig: Live Surgery and Lectures: Converting from Sutured to Sutureless Cataract Surgery; Fishhook Technique; Phacoemulsification - Lahan Experience.

Miscellaneous:

Support to Ramlal Golchha Eye Hospital (RLGEH) in Biratnagar:
A two-year Memorandum of Understanding was signed between RLGEH and SCEH for strengthening the co-operation between the two centres and to promote the eye activities at the RLGEH. Staff of RLGEH visited SCEH for orientation and training.
SCEH helped to conduct 8 cataract screening camps in the eastern region, and a Lahan team performed 213 sutureless cataract operations at RLGEH.

The Program Director gratefully acknowledges the support rendered by Christoffel Blindenmission and their donors, the Ministry of Health, the Social Welfare Council, the Nepal Netra Jyoti Sangh as well as the Local Working Committee including the donor Choudhary families.
He also thanks the Nepali ophthalmologists and their institutions for their co-operation.
Special thanks go to his colleagues, the Administrator and all staff members. Due to their very hard working and combined effort the enthusiastic team made the eye services of SCEH such a success.

Dr. A. Hennig