{"id":278,"date":"2013-04-28T22:30:43","date_gmt":"2013-04-28T22:30:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.eyecarecaribbean.com\/site\/eyecarecaribbean\/2013\/04\/28\/from-the-desk-of-the-ceo-arvel-grant-april-2013\/"},"modified":"2013-04-28T22:30:43","modified_gmt":"2013-04-28T22:30:43","slug":"from-the-desk-of-the-ceo-arvel-grant-april-2013","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.eyecarecaribbean.com\/site\/ecc\/eye-on-sight\/from-the-desk-of-the-ceo-arvel-grant-april-2013\/","title":{"rendered":"From the Desk of the CEO- Arvel Grant [April 2013]"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"ArvelIN OUR QUEST FOR A CARIBBEAN FULLY COMPLIANT WITH THE OBJECTIVES OF VISION 2020 (THE RIGHT TO SIGHT)<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

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Antigua and Barbuda<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

* Government of Antigua and Barbuda approves employment of Refractionists to work in Vision Centres.<\/strong><\/p>\n

CCB-Eye Care Caribbean has completed refurbishment of space allocated as Vision Centres in the communities of Gray\u2019s Farm, Johnson\u2019s Point and Clare Hall. The Cabinet of Antigua-Barbuda has now approved the appointment of 4 Refractionists and 2 Dispensing Clerks.<\/p>\n

Their formal employment is now being administered by the Ministries of Health and Finance. When the appointments are effected, CCB-Eye Care Caribbean will start the installation and testing of: Diagnostic, Refractive and other systems, which the Refractionists and their colleagues will use to examine and treat patients.<\/p>\n

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* Plans to commence Vision Centre Services by May 2013<\/strong><\/p>\n

It is anticipated that the requisite: employment, installations and testing processes will be completed, for the start of services in the Vision Centres, before the end of May.<\/p>\n

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* Optometry Clinics implemented at Fiennes and Clarevue<\/strong><\/p>\n

In February of this year, Optometry Clinics were successfully implemented at the Clarevue Psychiatric Hospital and the Fiennes Residence for the Elderly.<\/p>\n

Over a two week period, just under five hundred persons were examined by the 4 Refractionists. Arrangements are now at an advanced stage, to fabricate and fit eye glasses for all the employees and residents and patients who were prescribed spectacles.<\/p>\n

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* Public Relations<\/strong><\/p>\n

HaMa Productions – a company based in Antigua and Barbuda, is in the process of producing a second ten minute documentary, as part of the build up of public awareness materials, to be used in support of the launch of Vision Centre Services in the Health Centres.<\/p>\n

The current documentary links the clinics at Fiennes and Clarevue, with the pending launch of Vision Centres at: Gray\u2019s Farm, Johnson\u2019s Point and Clare Hall. The HaMa documentary will complement other documentaries being produced by the Web Development and Advocacy Units of CCB-Eye Care Caribbean<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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* New space for the Council<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Cabinet of the Government of Antigua and Barbuda has awarded CCB-Eye Care Caribbean<\/strong> leased access to certain buildings on the Holberton Premises, to be developed as the National Eye Health and Diagnostic Centre. The actual space being allocated requires some clarification, however, it is anticipated that work to commence refurbishing and occupation of mutually agreed space will begin once the anticipated clarification is secured.<\/p>\n


Jamaica <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Mandeville<\/strong><\/p>\n

As CCB-Eye Care Caribbean<\/strong> moves to complete refurbishing of the Eye Department in the central Jamaican Town of Mandeville, overhead theatre lights for the Surgical Suite in the Eye Department at the Mandeville Regional Hospital is now being cleared through Jamaica Customs.<\/p>\n

It is anticipated that clearance and installation will be completed by end of April. Surgical supplies sufficient to support more than a thousand cataract and other surgeries (were ordered by CCB-Eye Care Caribbean<\/strong>) the supplies should be cleared and delivered to the Eye Department early in May.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, a Senior Nurse from Mandeville will be going to Dominica to participate in an intense 6-week Eye Theatre Management Course. <\/p>\n

This is all part of preparing for the start of expanded Surgical Services at the Eye Department. All essential preparations are near completion, which will convert a mere building into a place where thousands of Jamaicans will have their sight restored.<\/p>\n

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2013 Caribbean Vision 2020 Meeting to be held in Kingston, Jamaica in December<\/strong><\/p>\n

This will be the 3rd annual gathering of Public and Not-For-Profit officials involved in the advancement of comprehensive Eye Health Services across the Caribbean. Technical preparations are at an advanced stage for the convening of a 6-monthly consultation by delegates, using the Web-based Conferencing Facility of CCB Eye Caribbean.<\/p>\n

Jamaica Society for the Blind adopts National Blindness Services Strategic Framework at its Annual General Meeting<\/strong><\/p>\n

More than one hundred members of the Jamaica Society For The Blind assembled at the Medallion Hall Hotel in Kingston on April 20, for the Organizations 59th AGM. As part of their deliberations, the delegates unanimously adopted a 5-year Strategic Framework to guide the development of Blindness Services across Jamaica. The development of the documenent was facilitated by Frank Bowen, CCB\u2019s Project Development and Advocacy Services Manager. According to Government statistics, more than 27 thousand Jamaicans are blind, with more than six hundred of them being children of school age.<\/p>\n

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Haiti and Guyana<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

As final preparations move into high gear, Engineers from Zeiss and CCB-Eye Care Caribbean<\/strong> will visit Haiti and Guyana in May to complete installations of Operating Microscopes in Guyana and Diagnostic and Operating Systems in Haiti. It is anticipated that with those installations the three Hospitals will start comprehensive Eye Health Services to their catchment areas.<\/p>\n

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Optometry Students from the University of Guyana return home for Clinical Attachment<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ten Optometry students from: Dominica, Haiti, Jamaica and St. Lucia, will under take their Clinical attachment in their respective countries, starting in June. The participating Clinics will include: Eye Care St. Lucia; Clinique Orolo in Haiti and The Eye Department, Mandeville Regional Hospital in Jamaica.<\/p>\n

Applications are now open for students from across the Caribbean to apply for the Bachelors of Science in Optometry, tenable at the University of Guyana. The next cohort of students will begin studies in the last week of August of this year.<\/p>\n

The School of Professional Studies at the University of Guyana is preparing to admit up to 11 candidates to the Certificate in Refraction Techniques in September. It is anticipated that students will come from across the Caribbean, including: Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.<\/p>\n

Guyana moves closer to the launch of its Vision 2020 Strategic Framework<\/strong><\/p>\n

The draft is currently with the Minister of Health, and should be placed on the Cabinet\u2019s calendar shortly.<\/p>\n

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Regional<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados to develop Vision 2020 Strategic Framework<\/strong><\/p>\n

Efforts are currently being made to launch a consultative process in Jamaica, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago,which will lead to the development of similar documents in the three countries.<\/p>\n

* Guyana and Grenada to receive technical support from CCB-Eye Care Caribbeen on the development of Blind Services Guidelines<\/strong><\/p>\n

Frank Bowen is now preparing to initiate technical assistance to both countries. It is anticipated that at least one of the two countries will have draft Strategic Framework by July of this year.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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