[Cataract surgery in Togo]

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Public Health
• Healthcare Systems Analysis

Background:

• Cataract is a primary cause of blindness in sub-Saharan Africa, posing a significant public health challenge.
• Togo faces a high prevalence of cataract-related blindness, exacerbated by limited resources and low surgical intervention rates.
• Existing eye healthcare infrastructure in Togo requires assessment to understand service delivery and accessibility.

Purpose of the Study:

• To estimate the number of cataract surgeries performed across administrative regions in Togo.
• To calculate the Cataract Surgery Rate (CSR) per million population from 1995 to 2001.
• To analyze the distribution and concentration of cataract surgery services within Togo.

Main Methods:

• Utilized demographic data from the Demography and Health Survey (1998) as the denominator.
• Collected data on the number of cataract surgeries from medical registers (numerator) for the period 1995-2001.
• Calculated the Cataract Surgery Rate (CSR) by dividing the number of surgeries by population estimates.

Main Results:

• A total of 3,885 cataract surgeries were performed between 1995 and 2001.
• Public services (53.03%) and confessional hospitals (37.1%) were the main providers of cataract surgeries.
• The mean CSR was 126 per million, with significant regional disparities, particularly a high concentration (41%) in Lomé (CSR 334).

Conclusions:

• The Togolese eye healthcare system is underdeveloped, with a critical need for improved accessibility and affordability of services.
• Unequal distribution of services, heavily concentrated in the capital, leaves many regions underserved.
• Substantial efforts are required to reduce barriers to cataract surgery and address the high prevalence of operable cataract blindness.