The Community Eye Health Consultant is able to contribute to a Blindness Prevention program at several levels, and either to the whole or to some components of a program.

  Program Design

The consultant can ensure that the program design -

• Is fully informed of developments in this field
• Is based on the most up-to-date information concerning disease control
• Uses practices and technology appropriate to the environment of the program
• Is responsive to the needs and culture of the community involved in the program
• Is based on a fully informed understanding of the situation where the program is to be implemented

  Program Implementation

During implementation of the program, the Consultant -

• Is able to monitor the program’s activities and outputs to ensure the planning in the program design is being followed and the outputs are being delivered
• Is able to reposition or modify the program if required by changed circumstances or other requirements
• Evaluates the program during (as required) and at the end of the planned term to ensure that the aims of the program design are met and that the program complies with the requirements of funding bodies and other relevant partners
• Is able to publish such evaluations and other material to contribute to the body of knowledge of Blindness Prevention to bring the goals of Vision 2020 closer to fulfilment

  Supporting Activities

Further, the consultant may be used for other support activities such as -

• Ensuring that the organisation conducting the program is represented or supported by fully informed personnel in discussions and negotiations with partners
• The provision of specific services such as situational analysis, conduct of workshops or teaching and mentoring and other activities on behalf of the organisation

While many organisations have considerable “in-house” experience, if is often impractical for an organisation to have staff cover all skills, especially when these specific skills may be needed periodically or intermittently.

CEHCI sees its role as providing access for such organisations to personnel who have skills suitable for specific consultancies to support Blindness Prevention programs throughout the Developing World.

STEPHEN ELSWORTH CAINS

  Background

Dr Cains was born and educated in Sydney Australia, completing his medical studies in 1969 and his ophthalmology training at the Sydney Eye Hospital in 1975. He then entered clinical practice in Sydney, combining this with the position of visiting ophthalmic surgeon at the Royal North Shore Hospital, a Teaching Hospital of the University of Sydney.

Dr Cains’ practice was in general ophthalmology, with an accent on cataract and ophthalmic plastic surgery, while his Hospital practice included teaching of nurses, medical undergraduates, and ophthalmology registrars (residents). He served for several years as Head of the Department of Ophthalmology at this hospital. He also took part in the management of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists, serving for several years on its Council, as well as taking the positions of Honorary Treasurer and Honorary Secretary.

During this period, he undertook consultancies for agencies of the New South Wales state government and the Australian Federal Government and served on the Federal Government’s Workforce Committee.

In September 2002, Dr Cains enrolled in the Master of Science course at the International Centre for Eye Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. As part of this course, he undertook an evaluation of the Impact of the Basic Eye Doctor Training Program in Cambodia.

On completion of the course, he returned to Australia and joined The Fred Hollows Foundation as Medical Director (initially termed coordinator), where he served for over 3 years, working mainly with the Foundation’s programs in East, South-East and South Asia, as well as in Africa and its Australian program amongst the indigenous communities. He left that position in December 2006 to continue his work in Community Eye Health as an independent consultant.

  Qualifications

• MB.BS University of Sydney
  
• Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (FRACS)
  
• Fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists (FRANZCO)
  
• Master of Science (Community Eye Health), the International Centre for Eye Health,
  London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University of London

  Experience

In his work with The Fred Hollows Foundation, Dr Cains has worked in China, Nepal, Cambodia, Vietnam, Bangladesh and Pakistan, as well as in Eritrea, Kenya and the Republic of South Africa. He has had input to programs in several other countries, including Sri Lanka and Laos. This work has included -

• Situation Analysis in preparation for program design
• Program Design, including risk analysis and mitigation, budgets and logframe construction
• Devising and implementing program monitoring systems
• Promotion and implementation of cataract surgery outcomes monitoring
• Evaluation of eye health programs
• Teaching and mentoring of program medical staff in Community Eye Health and in general ophthalmology, in particular sutureless small incision cataract surgery
• Teaching program and support staff about ophthalmology, Community Eye Health and Vision 2020
• Presentations to medical groups relating to Blindness Prevention and Vision 2020 activities
• Conduct of workshops to promote Vision 2020 goals and activities
• Conduct of negotiations with potential partners for Blindness Prevention activities
• Provision of support for medical personnel within Blindness Prevention programs in clinical, surgical, and Blindness Prevention activities
• Participating in an evaluation of the status and management of ophthalmic equipment used in Blindness Prevention activities

During this period, Dr Cains has had the opportunity to interact with major Non Government Development Organisations as part of The Fred Hollows Foundation programs, at regional and specialty meetings and conferences, and at Vision 2020 and IAPB meetings.

Dr Cains maintains his knowledge of Blindness Prevention, Community Eye Health, and clinical ophthalmology by his reading, participation in conferences in Australia and abroad, and by participating in the Continuing Education program of the RANZCO, as well as the direct continuing education received by working in the field with program participants.

  Contact

Dr Cains is available for short or medium term consultancies which utilise his qualifications and experience as detailed above. He will be pleased to discuss any proposals if contacted on –