I Can See! by A1 and BCF summarizes results: over 51 thousands kids from 62 Belarusian regions screened

Belarusian Children Fund and A1 summarize results of the large-scale charitable project I Can See! Over the last four years 51 474 rural schoolers from Mogilev, Gomel, Brest and Vitebsk oblasts have been medically examined by mobile ophthalmologic teams. Overall 35 ophthalmologists visited 693 schools in 62 rayons in four oblasts.

Based on the results 32.3% (16 604) schoolers have developed various vision impairments while 51.8% (8 606 children) thereof have got their first vision diagnosis. 5 847 children need spectacles, 330 schoolers were recommended to take operative or conservative therapy, 367 kids require additional examination.

I Can See! started in 2016. Organizers were supported by Ministry of Healthcare of the Republic of Belarus and regional administrations. Schoolers of Mogilev oblast were the first to participate in the project. Throughout 2017-2019 children from Gomel, Brest and Vitebsk oblasts were screened by ophthalmologists. Rural schools are located far from big cities that is why it is fundamentally important to provide aid to rural schoolers at the place of their residence and studies.

“I Can See! is a clearly structured system engaging a lot of people, organizations and institutions for the sake of children health. Over four years thousands of rural kids have been able to get a professional aid from ophthalmologists starting from concrete recommendations and eyeglasses prescriptions up to referrals to operative and conservative treatments in clinical settings, additional examinations in oblast and national centres. We thank A1, Ministry of Healthcare of the Republic of Belarus, oblast administrations, doctors and teachers for their united efforts. I Can See! appeared to be a true example of private - public partnership in tackling concrete challenges”, - said Alexander Truhan, director of Belarusian Children Fund.

Apart from qualified medical care for rural schoolers prevention of vision impairments was one of the integral part of the project. A large-scale information campaign has been pursued by the organizers throughout this project. Interactive billboards, cooking classes, social videofilms supporting the project demonstrated to parents and kids how to take care of their vision. This year this dialogue migrated from billboards and TV screens to comics.

A comics I Can See! has been prepared specifically for the final stage of the project I Can See! by organizers and representatives of creative association Contemporary Comics Olga Aldanova and Nikita Sennikov. A graphic story in Belarusian telling about adventures of Alesya and her friends in an exciting and popular among schoolers format reminds how important it is to take care of the vision and wear glasses when necessary. Besides, the comics offers numerous tasks for the readers as vision gymnastics. One copy of the comics I Can See! will be provided for school libraries across the country for new readers to learn together with the main characters how to take care of their vision.

“Throughout the years of it’s duration the project I Can See! turned to be truly massive and helped an abundance of kids across Belarus. We thank everyone we used to work on this project during last four years and we are truly proud of the results. We are very happy that information campaign aimed to prevent vision impairments among children affected thousands of kids and adults across the country. And the comics I Can See! will be a great present for all Belarusian schoolers”, - commented Nikolai Bredelev, head of A1 PR.

At the close of the project I Can See! all state-of-the-art ophthalmic diagnostic equipment acquired by the organizers has been handed over to medical institutions like Mogilev Oblast Children Hospital, Vitebsk Oblast Children Clinical Centre, Polotsk Central City Hospital, Gomel Central Children Outpatients Clinic, Mozyr Central City Clinic.

Over these four years I Can See! appeared to be one of the key large-scale social charitable initiatives realized in Belarus. All the data collected by the doctors in every region is stored in data bases of regional hospitals, regional main directorates for healthcare and will be further used by the experts.