News and notices

Meetings

Asia ARVO international meeting on research in vision and ophthalmology, 15–18 January 2009, Hyderabad, India. For information, visit: www.asiaarvo2009.org

Courses

Community Eye Health Institute, University of Cape Town, South Africa

• NEW Postgraduate diploma in community eye health Start date: January 2009. Target audience: National VISION 2020 coordinators and district VISION 2020 programme managers who wish to receive training in the management of district VISION 2020 programmes. Course structure: One-year course, comprising an initial 10 weeks on campus, then 36 weeks off campus when the student is back working in his/her health district, and a final two weeks on campus. Closing date: 30 November 2008. Course fee: ZAR 47,040 (approximately Є4,704). Recommended living expenses for 12 weeks in Cape Town ZAR 23,100 (approximately Є2,310). Travel to and from Cape Town. For more information: Contact Adri Winckler at adri.winckler@uct.ac.za

International Centre for Eye Health, London, UK

• Diploma in Community Eye Health, 18 February – 23 May 2009. Target audience: Eye care professionals (including ophthalmologists, optometrists, and project managers) who want to receive training in community eye health, but cannot be away from their place of work for a longer training course. Information and admission procedures: Visit www.Lshtm.ac.uk/prospectus/short/sdceh.html or email shortcourses@Lshtm.ac.uk

Kilimanjaro Centre for Community Ophthalmology, Tanzania

All courses are held by the Kilimanjaro Centre for Community Ophthalmology (KCCO) in collaboration with the Fred Hollows Foundation. Venue: KCCO, Moshi, Tanzania. Information: Visit www.kcco.net or contact Genes Mng'anya at genes@kcco.net

• Bridging communities and eye care providers to achieve VISION 2020 in Africa, 10–14 November 2008. Target audience: Eye care programme managers, trainers, and key decision makers of national prevention of blindness programmes.

• Organisational and financial management to achieve VISION 2020 in Africa, 17–28 November 2008. Target audience: Heads and key decision makers of VISION 2020 planning areas.

• Building research capacity in Africa for VISION 2020, 23–27 February 2009. Target audience: There will be no more than 6 to 8 students, budding researchers who are interested in learning to write a good-quality, fundable, research proposal. By the end of the course, each student will have a research proposal ready for submission for funding and ethical approval.

LAICO – Aravind Eye Care System, India

All courses are run by LAICO – Aravind Eye Care System, 1 Anna Nagar, Madurai 625 020, Tamil Nadu, India. Tel: +91 452 4356500, +91 452 4356100. Fax: +91 452 2530984. Website: www.aravind.org

• Management priorities in eye care delivery, 4–10 January 2009. Target audience: Heads of eye hospitals (ophthalmologist and management). Application deadline: 1 December 2008. Information: Mr Sanil Joseph at Sanil@aravind.org

• Management training for eye care programme managers, 16–27 February 2009. Target audience: Professionals concerned with eye care programme development, monitoring evaluation and funding. Application deadline: 15 January 2009. Information: Ms Sasipriya at Sashi@aravind.org

Resources

Standard list for a VISION 2020 eye care service unit

The Standard list is produced under the guidance of the Technology Programme Committee of the Global Initiative for the Elimination of Avoidable Blindness. It aims to assist programme managers and medical personnel to set up and manage eye care services. It suggests the equipment, instruments, and supplies required to primary and secondary level (district) eye care units serving a population of 500,000 to 1 million.

The newly revised edition has additional sections on paediatric and general anaesthesia. Diagnostic and surgical equipment sections have been expanded to include the needs of units involved in the prevention and treatment of conditions associated with childhood blindness. The list gives the contact details of a range of suitable suppliers. Additionally the list can be used as a source of information where local purchasing is feasible or can be developed.

The list can be downloaded on www.v2020.org or a print version can be obtained by sending your name, occupation, and postal address to: Teaching Aids at Low Cost (TALC), PO Box 49, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL 1 5TX, UK Email: info@talcuk.org Website: www.talc.org/featured-publishers/iceh.htm Cost is UK £3 plus post and packing (free to low- and middle-income countries).