Report Project

Vienna Eye Care partners Sennar City, Sudan,

January 11 - 17, 2019

Sudan 

Official name: Republic of Sudan

Capital:  Khartoum

Location: Nord-East Africa

Surface area: 1.8 million km2

Nr. of  Inhabitants:  37 million

Climate: tropical

I  Participants

 Univ. Prof. Dr. Paul H. M. Spauwen, plastic surgeon, Treasurer of VECP, team leader.

Dr.Hans-Jürgen Schindler, lawyer, Secretary General of VECP.

Mr.Hassan Malik, UNIDO, member of Alhoush-Alkabeer Charity organization.

Dr. Alex Salomon, Senior Physician, eye surgeon (prevented).

II  Activities and results

Due to political unrest and violent actions in Sudan, the implementation of the project was doubtful until the very last moment. Three days prior to the beginning of the project we very kindly invited to a meeting by the Sudanese ambassador in Vienna, Mr. Mirghani Abbakar Eltayeb.

We discussed the security conditions and eventually decided to undertake the project. Our commitment vis-à –vis AACO, especially the continuation of the project this year, was important.

Dr. Alex Salomon could not accompany us for personal reasons. Therefore, we considered a plan B. The AACO members in Khartoum and Sennar played a crucial role in the preparation of plan B.  We were heartily welcomed on our arrival in Sudan. Permits to pass for the trip to Sennar City had been prepared by AACO and the security agency. De facto, we encountered no security problems. AACO took care of logistics, official approvals, coordination and other organizational costs in Sudan and Sennar. 

The following activities were carried out on two intensive working days: 

1. Adaptation and handover of 300 eyeglasses to people with poor sight.
2. Examination, counselling and treatment of 78 patients with various complaints.
3. Holding two lectures for 40 students.
4. Handover of pharmaceuticals, purchased in Vienna, to local eye doctors.
5. Handover of an OcuScan to the eye doctors, donated by senior physician Dr. Ingrid Kraupp.
6. Triage of 30 patients with cataract for operations, to be done by local eye surgeons.
7. Preliminary talks about a two-month-training of a local eye doctor in Vienna.

Ad 1.    Adaptation and handover of 300 eyeglasses (frames and glasses) to people wth poor sight

In preparation of the visit, three optometrists, eye doctors and AACO members had prepared a list of people who needed glasses. That is why it was possible to give out their glasses to a great number of people in relatively good order. First there was the measurement of eye refraction (Tomey-refractometer). Next the thickness of the glasses was determined and a prescription for glasses was issued. This enabled the people to choose glasses from three opticians selected for that purpose. It was surprisingly emotional to see how great their delight was! At the end of the first day 146 people received a prescription for eyeglasses (appr. €6 per item). 50 items were reserved for children of an AACO school.

During these examinations Dr. Schindler took photos of all premises and gadgets including type signs for documentation. Based on these, VECP can discuss the necessary improvements with Dr. Salomon and AACO.

Ad 2. Examination, counselling and treatment of 78 patients

Parallel to the “eye procedures” Prof. Spauwen examined patients with various complaints, assisted by Sayid Osman’s (president of AACO) daughter Noor. The young medical student (4th grade) was a great help as a translator and explainer – for her, the various complaints and the examinations of the patients were revealing and interesting.

 An overview: 

It was conspicuous that mainly older people contacted us. Many of them suffered from arthritic complaints. We rarely saw congenital malformations or burn wounds and scars. 

Ad 3. Holding two lectures for 40 students 

On day 2 there was the opportunity to give two lectures (Prof. Spauwen) titled:

1. Principles in plastic surgery related to wound healing

2. Stem Cells: Power Packs in Surgery 

The young doctors and students were thrilled and actively participated in the discussion. They fetched a baby (premature birth) from the pediatric intensive care unit with skin necrosis after a subcutaneous infusion on the forearm. They were advised about possible treatments.

Ad 4. Handover of pharmaceuticals, purchased in Vienna, to local eye doctors

 In advance, AACO had compiled a list of necessary drugs from Vienna, which cannot be obtained in Sudan in this quality. For details see addendum. 

Ad. 5. Handover of an OcuScan to the eye doctors, donated by senior physician Dr. Ingrid Kraupp

Dr.Ingrid Kraupp provided VECP with her OcuScan some years ago and we could now present it in Sudan. Thanks to Dr. Kraupp – she was handed a certificate as an appreciation. 

Ad 6. Triage of 30 patients with cataract for operations 

Although our primary aim is to raise eye surgery to European level, it is worth considering for today to have up to 30 cataract operations - for people who cannot afford them - carried out by local eye surgeons, at the expense of VECP. AACO will negotiate a price. AACO will regulate control, VECP will receive a report. Of course, documentation and operational reports are to be delivered. 

Ad 7. Preliminary talks about a (prospective) two-month-training of a local eye doctor in Austria (Vienna) 

One of the most important aims of VECP is the training of a colleague in Vienna. There is a prospective candidate, who recently received training in London. He was born in Sennar and might play an important role in the developments and establishment of a Sudanese-Austrian Eye Competence Centre there.

In case VECP consider this initiative as realistic, the modalities will be negotiated with AACO. Travel costs, subsistence, weekly allowance and any compensation for income losses should be laid down in writing in advance. 

III Future 

After this successful project in Sennar, we are continuing the cooperation, as laid down in the Memorandum of Understanding (2018). Although the Ministry of Health and the government are rather uncertain factors, AACO is a very reliable partner. AACO built and financed a new school last year. Mr. Sayid Osman Homayda considers the construction of an eye-clinic possible, in sectors, aiming at the establishment of a Sudanese-Austrian Eye Competence Center. For VECP, this means a partnership challenge.

Final remark: thanks to all members of AACO, optometrists and eye doctors for their honorary contributions, both before and during the project. Personal contributions on both sides will be acknowledged in a time sheet and rating. VECP and AACO bilaterally distributed acknowledgement certificates to the project contributors in recognition to their partnership.

Last but not least, we appreciate the substantial financial and personal support of Rotary Club Korneuburg, Austria.

Hadersfeld, 12. July 2019 

Mag. Elisabeth Micka, President

Univ. Prof. Dr. Paul Spauwen, Treasurer 

Dr. Hans Schindler, Secretary General