Club News
Added on August 20, 2007
First Eye Bank in East Africa is coming to life! (new document added)
Signing of MoU Between the Rotary Club of Nairobi and The Nairobi Hospital
By Diamond Lalji
(Scroll to the end to see the link to the new document added on August 20, 2007)
A historic event occurred this past Tuesday, 12th June 2007 when the Rotary Club of Nairobi and The Nairobi Hospital signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish the first fully functional Eye Bank in this part of Africa at The Nairobi Hospital. Present was Dr. Cleopa Mailu the Chief Executive Officer of The Nairobi Hospital, Honorary Member Dr. Mukesh Joshi and his very able assistant Avneet, Rtn. Sally Gitoho who is also the Director of Strategy and Business Development at the hospital, Ms. Wangechi Wanjohi from Prime Bank, Kevin Mududa, members of the media and your President here.
In principal it was agreed that The Nairobi Hospital will house the Eye Bank and assist the Rotary Club of Nairobi in public awareness while our very own Rotary ophthalmologist Dr. Joshi and Dr. (Mrs.) Mehta will train 2 theatre assistants. Our club (through a Matching Grant/3H Grant from The Rotary Foundation and local individual and corporate donors) will provide the equipment to set up the Eye Bank.
An Eye Bank is a non-profitable institution that deals in human eye tissue by collection and processing of donor tissue, carrying out quality assessment, preserving the eye, distributing the eye, carrying out research on the eye and creating public awareness.
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| The signing ceremony was attended by (from left to right) Dr. Cleopa Mailu the Chief Executive Officer of The Nairobi Hospital, president Diamond Lalji, Honorary Member Dr. Mukesh Joshi and (not in picture) his very able assistant Avneet, Rtn. Sally Gitoho who is also the Director of Strategy and Business Development at the hospital, Ms. Wangechi Wanjohi from Prime Bank and Kevin Mududa. |
At the function, our Honorary Rotary Ophthalmologist Dr. Joshi informed us that Kenya has a high incidence of Keratoconus which at the meeting of Thursday, 14th June 2007 he will briefly explain what it is. The solution to Keratoconus is an eye cataract operation he duly told us. Dr. Joshi has over the years performed thousands of operations at various sites from his clinic at Sarit Centre to several towns in Kenya. He has also performed them at The Nairobi Hospital and expressed gratitude to the hospital for providing free facilities and accommodation.
Armed with a giant eye ball Dr. Joshi spoke fervently about his work and demonstrated to us the various parts of the eyes. We then singed the Memorandum of Understanding between our club and the hospital on the proposed eye bank and after the usual pleasantries we got into serious business on the next course of action in establishing the eye bank.
About $100,000 is needed to put up the bank and already plans are underway to approach potential sponsors. In the ensuing days and weeks we will approach members for assistance in soliciting for support from various corporate organizations.
On the collection of eyes for the bank Honorary Member Dr. Joshi told us that after ones demise, the eyes are of no use and should be donated. “If a person is able to see the world through your eyes, you are leaving behind something fruitful to this world.” Said a passionate Dr. Joshi. He said a public awareness campaign through the media will be launched to sensitise people on this.
This campaign will be conducted in tandem with the launch of the Eye Bank. His office has developed pledge forms for this and at yesterday’s meeting your President here pledged his eyes to the eye bank! And its really simple, a person can pledge their eyes for donation before death. After death, the next of kin can sign the consent for the donation of eyes. The Rotary Eye Bank will be informed at The Nairobi Hospital where a technician or ophthalmologist will collect the eyes. Once the cornea is collected, then a special type of contact lens of artificial eye is put on the deceased person.
What the media says about this project:
- allAfrica.com
- The East African Standard
More documents:
Click here to download a writeup on the cornea and its diseases (pdf, 73KB, new window)
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