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CONTINUING OUR QUEST FOR A CARIBBEAN, FULLY COMPLIANT WITH THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OFVISION 2020 THE RIGHT TO SIGHT

ANTIGUA AND BARBUDAAs we prepare to launch Eye Health Services in fourHealth Facilities across Antigua and Barbuda, CCB-Eye

Care Caribbean awaitsemployment of fourRefractionists and acomplement ofDispensing Clerks, bythe Ministry of Health.

Several months ago,the requisite

instruments ofapproval were delivered to the Ministry of Health by theCabinet Office and we continue to expect that theemployment of the required personnel is imminent.As soon as the employment processes are completed andthe Refractionists have their letters of appointment, CCB-Eye Care Caribbean will commence the installation andtesting of Diagnostic Refractive and other systems, whichthe Refractionists and their colleagues will use toexamine and treat their patients.Services should begin with in a matter of weeks,following employment of the Refractionists.

Fabrication of spectacles in Antigua and Barbuda

Finishing equipment and material required to commencefabrication of spectacles here are now in place. CCB-EyeCare Caribbean continues to await access to suitablebuildings on the Holberton premises. Based on recentconversations with officials at the Ministry of Health,

suitable access should be granted during the month ofAugust.Once completed, CCB-Eye Care Caribbean will configurean emergency production Laboratory to producespectacles outstanding to patients and staff of theClarevue and Fiennes; while retrofitting of the remainingavailable space is being undertaken.An experienced Spectacle Laboratory Technician fromJamaica will be given a short-term assignment to helpexpedite the process. Spectacles for employees and clientsof Clarevue, the Fiennes Institute and Ministry of HealthHeadquarters will be given priority.

GUYANA AND JAMAICA

Nurse Joyce Goodenfrom the Eye Clinic atthe Mandeville RegionalHospital in Jamaica andNurse Sonia Morrisfrom the LindenHospital in Guyanaarecurrently attending asix-week Course in Eye

Theatre Procedure Management, at the Princess MargaretHospital in Dominica.

The programme will be completed in the third week ofSeptember.Upon completion, both Nurses will return to theirrespective Hospitals, to lead the commissioning of EyeSurgeries in newly established Eye Theatres.

From the desk of the CEO

Arvel Grant

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HAITI

The Regional Maintenance Manager with the CCB/Eye Care Caribbean, Henry

Latty, is scheduled toinstall Diagnostic and Surgical Equipment at the Petionvilleand St. Marc District Hospitals in Haiti.

Mr. Latty will install and test the systems in August. Eye surgeries should begin at

both facilities in the last quarter of 2013.

HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT ! ! ! !As recruitment continues for the Academic Year 2013 - 2014, seventy OptometryStudents will be in training at the University of Guyana for the start of the

ensuing Academic Year.

Twelve Ophthalmology Residents continue training in: The Dominican Republic;

Guatemala, Haiti, Mexico and Paraguay. The first of this batch will return to start

work in St. Lucia in September of this year.

In the meantime, ten candidates for the Certificate in Refraction Techniques are

preparing to commence their Course of Studies in October. Applicants are being

selected from: Jamaica, Haiti, Antigua and (possibly) St. Vincent and the

" " " " " Grenadines." " " " " At least three Spectacle Dispensing Clerks will commence a 1-month training" " " " " programme in Antigua and Barbuda in a number of Health Centres . The" " " " " successful candidates will join the Refractionists in delivery of class (I) Eye" " " " " Health Services across Antigua and Barbuda.

INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENTAlong with new Eye Theatres in: Linden, Guyana, Mandeville (Jamaica),

Petionville and St. Marc (Haiti), CCB Eye Care Caribbean, in association with

Sightsavers aresupporting the development of a range of Spectacle Laboratories

and associated systems in a number of countries across the Caribbean.

Additionally, we are in the final stages or ordering Vision Centre equipment for

Clinics in: St. Lucia, Guyana, Jamaica and Haiti.

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DISEASE CONTROL

We are in the final stages of preparations to implement a multi-country KAP (Knowledge Attitudes and Practice) Studies

re: Glaucoma.

Data will be collected and analyzed from: Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica and St. Lucia. The Principal Investigator for the

study is Dr Dawn Grosvenor of Barbados.

Additionally, we are in the early stages of selecting a Principal Investigator for an international Study to determine how

much, persons with Diabetes know of and understand about Diabetic Retinopathy, which is a leading cause of incurable

blindness in the Caribbean.

In preparation for the possible launch of a major regional programme of screening for and treatment of Diabetic

Retinopathy, we are finalizing documentation to start consultations which could lead to the start of such a programme by

the first quarter of 2014.

There are approximately sixty thousand persons who are blind in the English-speaking Caribbean. Almost 30 thousand

are needlessly blind from Cataract and we are determined to change that.