There are 275 ophthalmologists in the whole of South Africa: 250 of them work in the private sector, catering for the needs of 8 million people, whilst only 25 work in the government practice that services 32 million people. Currently there are 160,000 indigent cataract blind who have very limited access to the care they need.

Right to Sight currently has three projects in South Africa

1. Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Hospital (MGMH) – Durban

Current Status

• RTS has joined a consortium of local NGOs and Government to establish an eye unit in MGMH to address the dire need for eye services in the area
  
• Eye clinic services now being offered since August 2008

RTS Objectives

• Establishment of a self-sustaining eye clinic within the existing hospital.
• To achieve 2,500 cataract operations and 25,000 out-patient visits during 2009.
• To assist the hospital to become a training centre for Southern Africa.

2. Eerste River Hospital – Cape Town

Current Status

• Eerste River Hospital serves the townships north of Cape Town and approached RTS to build its surgical capacity.
• The existing eye unit has two ophthalmologists who perform approximately 1,600 operations per year.

RTS Objectives

• To increase cataract operations to 3,000 and to grow outpatient visits to 30,000 by 2009.
• To train all essential clinical and managerial staff.
• RTS will provide capacity building to ensure this hospital can become a high volume and surgical training center for Southern Africa.
  

3. Institute for Community Ophthalmology, Groote Schuur Hospital – Cape Town

Current Status

• Professor of Ophthalmology at UCT, Colin Cook, approached RTS to collaborate in the establishment of a new institute to address the needs of the Southern African community.
  
• The office of the Community Eye Health Institute is now fully operational and courses have commenced
• RTS will also assist to equip the Institute.

RTS Objectives

• Community Eye Care will be taught through a “training of trainers” (TOT) method to maximize outreach of education messages.
• To provide training and documentation to allow the Institute to follow best practices.
• To use the Institute as a learning centre for RTS projects across Southern Africa.