“ Good children’s visual health at school is essential for learning “

An efficient school health program can be one of the most cost-effective investments a nation can make to improve education and health.

Primary school education is at the base of the pyramid of education and is regarded as a fundamental human right. As an essential component of human capital, primary education plays an important role in the economic growth and development of a country.

School eye health programs are a unique opportunity to provide comprehensive eye health services to potentially more than 300.000 children throughout Burundi. In Burundi eye morbidity had been reported to be a significant cause of school dropout.

It gives an opportunity to deliver eye health education messages to prevent disease or to reduce stigma associated with visual impairment or spectacle wear

Early detection and referral of children with eye problems is key to timely provision of highly cost-effective interventions

There is evidence that a school-based Visual Acuity (VA) screening programme is effective in delivering eye care to school-going children. Due to a scarcity of ophthalmic professionals in Burundi, CTSOE use non-eye care personnel, who are trained to conduct the VA testing. It has been shown that non-eye care personnel can be trained in VA testing with good results.

Activities to benefit school children that we offer

• Train non-eye care personnel to test VA in children in schools
• Refer to eye clinic school children identified with refractive errors and other eye conditions