Antigua-Barbuda Is The 6th Member Of CARICOM to include Refractionists in its Eye Health Programme

ST. JOHN’S, Antigua – 9th June, 2014……Following   representation to the Government of Antigua-Barbuda by CCB-Eye Care Caribbean (in 2010)   the government passed a series of Cabinet Decisions, clearing the way for the introduction of Refractionists in the public health services.   Refractionists provide eye health services described at level  1 of the global scope of practice   approved by the World Council Of Optometry.  They are trained to: Screen for eye diseases; Undertake eye health education;  Refer patients indicating conditions which may require ,medical and  or surgical interventions;  Perform refractive services;   and prescribe-fit   spectacles and low vision appliances.   Consistent with  WCO’s Level (i) scope of practice: Refractionists  do not perform invasive diagno stic,  prescriptive or dispensing services. As such, their work poses no:  Pharmacological,  medical or surgical risks to their patients.

currently, six  countries in CARICOM  employ Refractionists to provide eye health services in the public sector. These include: Antigua & Barbuda;  The Commonwealth Of Dominica; The Republic Of Guyana;  Jamaica;  St. Lucia and  The Republic Of Suriname.   In addition to  those Refractionists currently working in the eye health  sector across the Caribbean;  A further 11 Refraction students are currently in training  at the University Of Guyana.    The 11  candidates are from 3 countries: Antigua and Barbuda (2) Haiti (3) and Jamaica (6). They will join the practice (across the Caribbean)  in the first quarter of 2015. A further 30 applications from  4 countries (including St. Kitts, and St. Vincent & The Grenadines) are pending   vetting and (possible) admission to future   training cohorts.

The “Right To Sight”  partnership between the Government and People of Antigua & Barbuda and CCB-Eye Care Caribbean,  will  lead to the placement of Refractionists in 9   major health centres (across  Antigua-Barbuda)  including at: All Saints; Cedar Grove, The Villa Area   and  the Hannah Thomas Hospital in Barbuda. Under the programme: Government provides physical space, staffing and support services; While CCB-Eye Care Caribbean: Retrofits available space; Provides scholarships to designated personnel;  Equips the Vision Centres and  provides all recurrent supplies and equipment maintenance services.

Since their launch in December of last year, the 3 community vision centres (Grays Farm, Claire Hall and Johnsons Point) have booked more than 9 thousand patients; Examined just over seven thousand and prescribed more than 3 thousand pairs of spectacles. To date, CCB-Eye Care Caribbean has  spent  or committed just over EC $2 million to develop the programme in Antigua and Barbuda; While  patients have paid just over four hundred thousand  dollars for   their   spectacles.  Students and elderly persons who are unable to contribute to the cost of their spectacles; and who are  referred, receive their  spectacles free of cost.

The programme is expected to be self-sustaining and should begin to achieve equilibrium between income and expenditure within five years, subject to future recurrent and expansion costs.