Final report

The XOVA grant helped the Kabgayi Eye Unit, which was built and financed by CBM Italia Onlus, to strengthen its services in both: terms of capacity building of the staff and in improvements to the equipment of the eye unit. During 2017, over 27,000 patients were treated through outreach activities serving rural communities, and nearly 6,000 patients were operated at Kabgayi Eye Unit. From January to June 2018 alone, over 21,000 patients were treated and 3,000 received operations.

In 2017, 90% of the target number of 30,000 patients to be treated annually was reached, a satisfactory result in the first year of project implementation in which only one permanent ophthalmologist was working at the unit until September of that year. XOVA funding made it possible to fully sponsor a local clinician's masters course in ophthalmology, and from September 2017 he joined the staff and became a permanent ophthalmologist at Kabgayi Eye Unit.

From January to June 2018, the number of patients treated increased consistently, reaching around 71% of the annual target and 77% of the expected number of 4,000 annual surgeries. This is a remarkable outcome, demonstrating the improvements implemented at Kabgayi Eye Unit.

Services provided at Kabgayi Eye Unit have improved over the course of the project, providing accessible and affordable eye care to the Rwandan population and to poor people coming from neighbouring countries. The expected number of screenings and surgeries increased in quantity and quality thanks to the project, which particularly improved the capacities of staff for screenings, treatments and surgeries through on-the-job training provided by visiting experts. Moreover, the equipment of the eye unit was also upgraded, thanks to the provision of a new sterilization machine which is now adequate to the increased number of patients and services provided. Procedures are now implemented according to the required standard, improving the quality of the service.

About CBM Italia Onlus

CBM is the largest organization committed to preventing and curing blindness and disability in the poorest countries of the world. CBM Italia Onlus is part of CBM. The organisation works in Africa, Asia and Latin America and collaborates closely with local partners in the spirit of cooperation and development. Last year CBM has reached over 35 millions of people through 530 projects in 54 countries of the world. For further information visit www.cbmitalia.org [2].