Blantyre Institute for Community ophthalmology (BICO) - a year later

BICO was founded in 2008 with the mission of contributing to the prevention and control of blindness in Malawi and neighboring countries in the Southern part of Africa through conducting practical research, teaching, training, consultancy and advocacy in eye care delivery. The idea to start the institute was conceptualized after realizing that despite nearly 10 years after the launch of VISION2020 : the Right to Sight ; the global initiative to eliminate avoidable blindness and the various achievements in many areas of the world; the southern part of Africa has still not made much progress especially in the area of research on effective community eye care s programmes. The centre aims to coordinate research being carried out eye care professionals in Malawi and transfer the best of its expertise and experience to an ever-increasing number of eye care institutes across Southern Africa The centre is strategically located within the University Of Malawi College of Medicine teaching eye hospital, the Lions Sight first eye hospital in Blantyre. The current activities of the institute contributing to eye care in Malawi and other developing countries in Southern Africa can be broadly classified under the following areas: • Capacity building of community eye care health workers • Training Programmes – focusing on community eye care delivery • Research capacity building through conducting practical local research (operational and health services research ) • Publications • Consultative support to hospitals with no expertise in community eye health • Advocacy and contribution to Eye Care Programmes at National and International level through the Government and International NGOs. • Fund raising for eye care service delivery • Coordination of the National Trachoma Research •
Childhood Blindness Research Blantyre Institute for Community Ophthalmology (BICO) contacts Department of Ophthalmology Lions Sight First Eye hospital P.O.Box E180 Post dot net Blantyre Malawi Tel +2651873214/304 Fax +2651873214 Mobile: 08302232/09958176 Email: kkalua @medcol.mw

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