Introduction
History
Resources
Healthcare
Formation
Research
Support to the member states
Achievement
Partnership
DONNEES
PAYS
OCCGE :
In sub-Saharan Africa the principal causes of blindness are as a result of cataract, trachoma, glaucoma, onchocerciasis and Xeropthalmia. The prevalence of blindness is at about 1.2 %, thereby affecting around 2 millions people. This level, 10 times higher than northern countries, is related to several factors :
- insufficient accessibility to care, be it physical, economic or cultural
- the increase in life expectancy is overwhelmed by an increase in ailments related to old age
- the importance of demographic growth
- insufficient sanitary infrastructures
- insufficient human resources
- particular
climatic and biological environment.
As a WHO Collaborating Center for prevention of blindness IOTA, has institutionally four functions :
- giving ocular care at the third level
- teaching and training of personnel at all levels
- clinical and surgical research
- appraisal
for the member’s states.
IOTA is the only institute of its kind in sub-Saharan Africa ; accordingly, its zone of influence reaches farther than the borders of the OCCGE and covers all French-speaking countries, in Africa.