5/13/2013 Topics VOLUNTEERING AS AN OPHTHALMIC TECHNICIAN : AT HOME AND ABROAD Warren A. Whitford Whitford,, COMT Volunteer Experience • Volunteering since I was a teenager • Organizations: • • • • • • Crossroads International EMAS Medical Aid for Vietnam Knights of Malta Canadian Eyesight Global Clearly Contacts Program Volunteer experience locally • Volunteering locally at outreach clinics for the poor and needy with Dr. David Neima, Neima, The Knights g of Malta and Canadian Eyesight y g Global: • • • • • • • Vancouver Abbotsford Mission Maple Ridge Surrey Coquitlam Squamish • Volunteering in your community • Volunteering overseas • Useful equipment q p to bring g on an outreach clinic • Obstacles and how to overcome them • Conclusion Volunteer Experience • Volunteered in: • Africa • Vietnam • Philippines • Yellowknife & NWT • All parts of Lower Mainland Why it’s important to volunteer • Everybody in Canada has access to Eyecare (Myth) • Homeless, Drug addicts • Migrant workers • New Imigrants • Welfare (rigid rules) • Many poor people do not have easy access to the facilities needed for eye exams 1 5/13/2013 Downtown Eastside The Door Is Open • “For many Poor and handicapped people and those on low incomes, the cost of eyeglasses can be a real barrier to t getting tti the th best b t eyesight i ht possible” ibl ” Knights of Malta • Bi annual eyeglass clinics since 2001 • Serve the poor and needy in Vancouver and the lower mainland • Clinics are lead by Dr David Neima • Organized by Frank and Terry McCullough The Knights of Malta Knights of Malta • Patients are screened by the volunteer doctors Tony Viani and Frank McCullough • People that are found to have serious eye conditions are followed up with local ophthalmologists, free medications and treatment are arranged for them. Knights of Malta • Many people we see are legally blind for want of lenses and just need glasses. • Some have very y old g glasses that need replacing. • Over 24 clinics and over 1,200 pairs of glasses were donated free of charge since 2001 The Door Is Open Helping the Homeless Tony Viani and some of his students from the Douglas College Dispensing Optician program fit people needing glasses 2 5/13/2013 Door is Open • Saw this lady at the Door is Open Outreach Clinic. • Discovered she needed Cataract Surgery. • Arranged to have her come into our clinic for proper measurements. The Door is Open The students then made the glasses at the Douglas College lab and returned a week later to fit the patients with their new glasses. • She belongs to an order that does not receive any form of income. • Dr. Neima paid for the surgery and lenses. • Dr. Neima arranged for her to have the surgery. Canadian Eyesight Global • Canadian nonnon-profit society sponsored by the Rotary Club of SurreySurrey-Guildford • Anup Singh Jubbal – president & founder of project Eyesight India Sister PostPost-Op Follow up, one day PostPost-Op – healthy eyes and very happy ! Canadian Eyesight Global Sikh Temple Outreach • 77,000 free cataract surgeries in India Canadian Eyesight Global Dr. Neima Since 2001, Dr Neima has provided free eye screening clinics at Sikh temples around the lower mainland. Dr. Remierez Recently: March 10, 2013 we saw over 250 people. Many just needed prescriptions for glasses, while others were candidates for cataract surgery and glaucoma treatment. 3 5/13/2013 Canadian Eyesight Global “I’m amazed that in a country like Canada there’s so many people walking around with 20/200 vision.” Outreach was for all Canadian Eyesight Global The IndoIndo-Canadian Voice Mar 23/13 Downtown Eastside • Welfare recipients do not have access to facilities like an Ophthalmologist’s Clinic. Union Gospel Mission Outreach Clinic Clearly Contacts Program • We gave over 200 pairs of glasses in partnership with the Clearly Contacts Program. It’s a wonderful feeling when you can help somebody with something as simple as a pair of glasses. Before leaving Volunteer experience overseas • August 1995 – March 1996 in Africa with Canadian Crossroads International • Non profit organization that sends Canadian Youth to developing countries on volunteer work placements for 44--12 months. • 13 trips to Vietnam since 2000 with Medical Aid For Vietnam; Evangelical Medical Aid Society (EMAS) • Purchase medical and travel insurance • Ensure your passport is valid up to 6 months after trip date. • Ensure you obtain all required Visas • Visit a travel clinic and ensure your vaccinations are all up to date. • • • • Hepatitis A & B Typhoid Dukarol for traveler’s diarrhea Malaria prophylaxis 4 5/13/2013 Swaziland, Africa Kingdom of Swaziland Kingdom of Swaziland Seasons in Swaziland • Population: 1 million + • Official Languages: SiSwati & English • Geography: many different types of terrain from mountainous to rainforest • Spring : Sep Sep--Oct approx. 20 ° C • Summer: Nov – Dec approx 40 ° C • Autumn: Apr p – May y approx. pp 17 ° C • Winter : Jun – Aug approx. 13 ° C • Climate: Subtropical conditions Where I worked and lived My little friends 5 5/13/2013 What did I do in Africa? • Worked as a volunteer in the eye dept of the Mbabane Government Hospital Assisting Dr. Dlamini in surgery Weekly Routine • Assistant to the Chief Ophthalmologist • 3 clinic days per week (mon, wed, fri) • 2 surgery g y days y ((tues, thurs)) • Patient load: approx. 135 people/day • 10 10--30 surgeries At work, what did I see? Acacia thorn in the eye • Cataracts • Glaucoma • TRAUMA • Orbital cellulitis • Caterpillar hairs in the eye • Thorn in the eye Too many others to mention Photo from pbase.com 6 5/13/2013 In patient buddies The Eye Ward Exploring the country side Kruger National Park Victoria Falls Zimbabwe Friendly faces 7 5/13/2013 Small rural village Getting around using Public Transportation View of Capetown from Table Mountain Goodbye Swaziland Good Morning Vietnam!! Medical Aid For Vietnam • Charitable project • Founded in 1994 by • Dr Daivid Neima • Dr Hugh Parsons • Rev Tien Tran • 1 or more trips per year since 1994 • Goal: To bring medical aid to those without access to basic medical care. 8 5/13/2013 Geography of Vietnam SE Asia 3620 KM coastline Mountainous ,Lush valleys, Numerous rivers Borders d with h Cambodia, b d Laos, China h Hanoi-- Capital Hanoi Ho Chi Minh City -largest city -economic driver 90 million Recent History • Communist government • Boat people – persecution,proverty and hopelessness -2 million • 1986 started a market economy • No socialized medicine Some of the first things you notice… Vietnam 54 Ethnic Groups Many with their own language, customs and habits. Multiple religions - Confucianism - Buddhism - Christianity All over Vietnam Mission – 2 weeks Ho Chi Minh City Hanoi Da Nang Hue Pleiku Mekong Delta Nha Trang Buon Me Thuot Many more small Villages Let’s have a Packing Party! 9 5/13/2013 Teams 1- 3 teams of approx 2020-22 people with the following departments: • • • • • Ophthalmology O hth l l Dental G.P. Pharmacy Surgical Personnel needed All doctors Dentists Pharmacist Optometrists Refractionists Nurses Priests Translators Volunteers Anyone with a desire to help the sick, the poor and the less fortunate Outreach Clinics 10 5/13/2013 Eye Team The Eye Team • Medical eye care • Refractions • Given glasses g • Cataract Clinics Examining Equipment • • • • • • • • • • • Retinoscope and extra battery Ophthalmoscope (direct and indirect) Muscle light Portable Slit Lamp Trial frames (both adult and child) Trial Lenses Eye Chart (Snellen or equivilent) Near Chart Portable Lensometer ( eg. Pentax) Tonopen or handheld Perkins Tonometer Diagnostic drops Equipment • Hand sanitizer eg. Purell • Insect repelent containing DEET • Latex or latex free examination gloves g • Tissue paper • Candies for kids ☺ Examining Equipment • • • • • • • • • • Transformer or power converter Adaptors for electrical outlets Powerbar Extension cords Portable table lamp Rx pads/note paper/pens Camera with macro lens Screwdriver set or Leatherman Small flashlight Batteries Epidemiology of Eye Disease Causing Blindness in Rural Vietnam • Cataracts 40% • Refractive 30% • Corneal scars 20% • Congenital 5% • Other 5% 11 5/13/2013 An Effective Eyeglass Program • • • • • Work with local eyeglass store New glasses approx $3.50 per pair Screen patients quickly Interpreters are key Win-- Win situation Win • Optical store happy they get the business; patients happy they get proper prescription glasses An Effective Eyeglass Program 12 5/13/2013 Dr. Len Smith Yellowknife Ophthalmologist 13 5/13/2013 Refinement of High Refractive Errors Treatment of Glaucoma • Free drops • laser Treatment of cataracts • Local Ophthalmologists • Generous donations of surgical supplies, IOL’s and medications from Alcon, Allergan, Bausch& Lomb and Novartis. 14 5/13/2013 Can Tho Eye Hospital 15 5/13/2013 Dr. Liem and Dr. Pham Cataract Surgery In Vinh Long, Can Tho Pterygium 16 5/13/2013 Trachoma Corneal Scars 17 5/13/2013 Family Medicine The G.P. Team Vietnamese Physicians • Medical (Pharmacological) care • Supportive care • Team care • Some referral ability • Always try to be loving care • Continuity of care? 18 5/13/2013 Multiple conditions 19 5/13/2013 Dental No power, flash light only 20 5/13/2013 Where do we start? Put patients on tables, faster Pharmacy 21 5/13/2013 People waiting in the heat to be seen by our medical team 22 5/13/2013 Every patient gets: 1 box of noodles Rice Sugar medicine Children the same everywhere 23 5/13/2013 Visiting the Orphanage 24 5/13/2013 Blind Child With Hydrocephalus Little Girl With a Congenital Heart defect Dr’s looking at her medical records 25 5/13/2013 Donating Funds To Orphanage How we traveled 10--Boeing 777 10 Great driver for narrow roads We make it !!! No accident. accident. 26 5/13/2013 On the bus, tired after a hard days work Sight Seeing 27 5/13/2013 Being A Tourist 28 5/13/2013 29 5/13/2013 Our Lady of La Vang Sanctuary Great food from the sisters 30 5/13/2013 Heart surgery patients and Sister Anna Obstacles • Customs : Bringing Medications and equipment into the country • Government Officials can shut down a clinic at any time • Unforeseen U f changes h in i plans l • Remote locations may not have adequate power supply or water • Working conditions may be less than optimum • Equipment malfunction or breakdown We need interpreters and volunteers!!!! All the money raised from dinner goes to buy food, medicine, eye glasses, cataract surgery and heart surgery for children. All volunteers paid their own expenses $1,300 for 2 weeks all inclusive $1,500 for air ticket to Vietnam Get to work hard 2 weeks helping people and having fun, priceless!! 31 5/13/2013 Pending Missions • October 13 – October 27, 2013 y 2014 • Summer JJuly • Fund raising dinner Sunday May 26, $60 at the Pink Pearl restaurant. Contact Information 2013 Virginia S. Boyce Humanitarian Award EMAS Evangelical Medical Aid Society www.emascanada.org Rev. Tien Tran - [email protected] f h l Dr. David Neima - [email protected] Dr. Jim Lane - [email protected] Warren Whitford – [email protected] Dr. Tyree Carr M.D JCAPHO President It’s easy to serve those who will serve you back… So serve those who cannot serve you. 32
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