The case study of Etagegn Aynalem
Name: Etagegn Aynalem
Occupation: house maid
Residence: Akaki Kality sub city, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Diagnosis: Age related operable cataract
Facility: Wolkite Health Center
Date of treatment: July 19, 2016.
Mrs. Etagegn is a 66 years old mother living in kebele 06 of woreda 3, Akaki Kality sub city, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. She has five children and currently lives with two of them who are high school students. The main family income is 250ETB from pension payment and additional 300 ETB from brewing & selling local beer called “tella”.
Since March 2016, she was faced difficulties in making her usual day to day activities which compromised her income. She lost her vision of right eye four since months ago,hence isolated from economic, social and other day to day activities.
In May 2016, she went to the nearby health center found at her vicinity and the health workers told her that the problem of her vision was cataract. He then advised her to go to hospital where she can receive appropriate treatment. One day, one of her relative visited her asked what happened to her. This day, Etagegn told her relative the problem of her sight and what the HW advised her. This time her relative informed her about Wolkite SECU which gives very good cataract surgery service for the community at large. After she gathered all necessary information about Wolkite SECU, Etagegn decided to attend her treat6ment at this SECU. Her home is found at 160 km away from Addis Ababa in Southwest which costs transportation fee of 160 ETB. Etagegn is not the only client out of the catchment area/the zone that benefitted from CS service at Wolkite SECU, but there were also beneficiaries like Temam Abadura from Jima zone (>185 km away from Wolkite), and Abamecha Abagojam from West Shoa zone (>250 km away from Wolkite) who came with similar information on the same day. She visited Wolkite SECU on July 18, 2016 and examined by the optometrist and the cataract surgeon of the unit. After she underwent thorough examination, she was told to have operable cataract of right eye. Her visual acuity was found to be hand movement. After consultation with the cataract surgeon, she was appointed for the next morning day surgery. As this was static service, she was charged 300 ETB for the CS.
Etagegn went under surgery on July 19, 2016 in the morning and appointed to the next day morning for the first post OP visit/service. On her day-1 post OP checkup, her Visual Acuity (V/A) was improved to 3/60 and one week after surgery her V/A significantly was improved to 6/12.
Up on asking for her impression, she thanked all the SECU's team for their good manner, treatment, fair service fee and their hospitality. Add, Etagegn said “I will be wittiness this unbelievable service which I found that it is beyond what I heard. I know three people in my village who are suffering from similar condition and sat at their home due to lack of money to afford cost of CS at private hospital and I will tell them to come to Wolikte. I heard that my vision was restored by support Orbis is making for the health center and I would like to say many bless to the organization (i.e. Orbis.
Picture shows Etagegn's right eye on day-1 post op and one week post op visit after surgery.