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Measuring cataract surgical services in children: an example from Tanzania
P Courtright1, T Williams, C Gilbert
1Kilimanjaro Centre for Community Ophthalmology, Tumaini University, PO Box 2254, Moshi, Tanzania. pcourtright@kcco.net
The British Journal of Ophthalmology
|July 26, 2008
Summary
Childhood cataract surgery rates in Tanzania varied significantly by region and gender. A new monitoring method revealed service delivery gaps, highlighting an inequity in care for girls needing childhood cataract surgery.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Global Health
- Pediatric Eye Care
Background:
- Childhood cataract is a significant cause of preventable blindness in developing nations.
- Existing methods for monitoring surgical services are inadequate, relying on sporadic reports.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish a standard method for monitoring childhood cataract surgery services in Tanzania.
- To identify regional and gender-based disparities in service utilization.
Main Methods:
- Collected data on pediatric cataract surgeries from 2004-2006 at two tertiary eye care facilities in Tanzania.
- Calculated the annual childhood cataract surgical rate (CCSR) per region.
- Analyzed male-to-female ratios for surgical interventions.
Main Results:
- The overall CCSR in Tanzania was 9.9 per million population in 2006.
- CCSR was substantially higher in regions with facilities (32.3) compared to non-adjacent regions (5.4).
- Surgery rates showed a disparity, with approximately 148 boys operated on for every 100 girls.
Conclusions:
- The developed CCSR metric effectively identified regional and gender-based gaps in service delivery.
- The findings indicate a potential inequity in accessing childhood cataract surgery for girls.
- Further testing of this monitoring approach in other regions is recommended.
