Mobile Eye Clinic

In May 2003, as part of its community development program, Adaro inaugurated a new health program to combat cataract blindness in its area of operations which brings free medical treatment to the surrounding communities through a mobile cataract clinic staffed with specialist opthalmologists and specially trained local nursing staff.

Indonesia has one of the highest blindness rates in the world with an estimated 1.7% of the population afflicted and with the majority suffering from treatable cataract blindness. These national statistics are mirrored in Adaro’s area of operations which encompass four regencies in the province with an estimated 8,000 people suffering from this disease.

This program is run in conjunction with the regional public health authorities through their village health or Puskesmas scheme and with technical assistance from the Yayasan Kemanusiaan Indonesia, a humanitarian foundation that is running similar programs in Bali.

Since the project commenced more than 2000 local patients have had successful operations to restore their eyesight and it is expected that up to 1,000 patients will be treated every year.

The program has multiple benefits to the local population:

• The free medical treatment eliminates a financial burden that most of the patients cannot afford and, once treated, these people become productive members of their villages again.
• The program has become a training ground for medical and administrative personnel working in the public health field in the province.
• The specialist screening training given to nursing staff from the Puskesmas system allows them to identify other public health issues within the local area for potential future action with similar programs to the mobile eye clinic.