Hospitals in the regions have been equipped with equipment to detect blindness of premature infants
Medical organizations of Kazakhstan with the support of the Kazakhstan Halkyna Fund are equipped with equipment for ophthalmological screening and treatment of blindness of premature infants.
28 medical institutions in 13 regions were supplied with ophthalmic lenses and ophthalmoscopes, and in April will be provided with lasers. The total cost of all equipment amounts to 307 million Tenge. The supply of equipment to medical organizations is accompanied by the training of specialists.
The use of ophthalmic equipment will allow to identify, timely refer for treatment and prevent blindness in premature infants (retinopathy). At the same time, according to Dias Beisenbek, the official representative of the Fund, the most medical organizations in the regions of Kazakhstan have shortage in ophthalmological screening equipment.
In 2022, more than 20 thousand infants with a body weight of less than 2,500 grams were born in the country, including about 5 thousand newborns with a high risk of developing retinopathy. For this reason, in order to increase the coverage of premature infants with ophthalmological screening, timely treatment of retinopathy and reduce the level of disability, Kazakhstan Halkyna initiated a program to provide medical organizations with equipment for ophthalmological screening and treatment of retinopathy in premature infants.
Retinopathy of premature infants is one of the ultimate causes of low vision, childhood visual disability and childhood blindness.