Context

In Burkina Faso, visual impairment affects 25% of the total population (4.75 million people in a population of 19 million), and that population is still growing. The need for eye treatments is currently increasing more quickly than the ability to train and deploy eye healthcare professionals. There were 35 ophthalmologists1 in the country in 2017, and only 7 of them worked outside of  Ouagadougou and Bobo Dioulasso (the two largest cities in Burkina Faso). This means that in rural areas, where 75% of the population live, there is fewer than one ophthalmologist per 2 million people2, which make access to eye healthcare not just very difficult, but almost impossible. In addition, at primary and community levels, where most eye diseases can be prevented or treated, health workers still have very little knowledge on the subject and often lack insurance and equipment.

1Training for four of them was financed by L'OCCITANE between 2012 and 2017. 

2The World Health Organisation recommends one ophthalmologist per 250,000 people.

 

Supported project

In 2021-2022, L'OCCITANE Switzerland and the L'OCCITANE Foundation renewed its partnership with Optique Solidaire to work in close partnership with local organizations in the area of Bazega. 

The aim is to train people at the local level in order to create all the conditions necessary for a full autonomy in the solvability of optics, optometry and opthalmology problems. The projet will give the priority to school-aged children so that their vision issues will not be an obstacle to pursuing their education. 

Some figures

Budget 10.000 euros

Results 46,785 beneficiaries

Partnership history

Project supported since 2019

In 2019, L'OCCITANE Suisse and the Foundation started its partnership with Optique solidaire to support its project to improve eye health services in Burkina Faso. Initially, it was a question of training professionals in the fitting of glasses while others were trained to carry out eye exams. These people were then able to provide a quality service in optics, optometry and ophthalmology by carrying out visual acuity screenings and eye examinations, as well as offering corrective glasses and/or eye care to populations with little access to them.  

 

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