Coordinated Approach to Community Health (CATCH)

How did the programme work?

While running our trachoma screening programmes in Africa, we realised many patients coming to the camps had cataracts and other eye diseases that the camps didn’t have the necessary equipment or right environment to treat.

The patients turned away were unlikely to seek further help due to lack of money or distance to get to their nearest hospital.

With support from the British people through UK aid, the CATCH programme piggybacked on large-scale trachoma initiatives funded by the UK government and The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust. It helped to ensure that cataract patients were given help to travel to the nearest facility where cataract surgery could be performed.

Looking to the future

While significant progress has been made to provide sustainable eye care services, there are still challenges to be faced and work that needs to be done. Sightsavers and partners need the continued support of donors, as well as national and local governments to make sure eye health is a top priority. Together we can enhance the health, quality of life and future wellbeing of millions of people.

Thanks to your support…

Vision Spring USA donated 55,000 pairs of reading glasses, which were distributed to people in need through the programme.

The CATCH project was funded by the UK government’s Department for International Development as a result of donations made by Sightsavers supporters in 2014 during a funding appeal. The donations were matched pound for pound by the UK Aid Match fund.