This year, the Else Kröner Fresenius Award for Development Cooperation in Medicine is being given to Dr. Ana Lucía Asturias, Senior Physician for Pediatric Ophthalmology from the organization Unidad Nacional de Oftalmología, for her project “Retinopathy of Prematurity in Guatemala”. The project was nominated by the non-profit organization CBM Christoffel Blindenmission Christian Blind Mission e. V. The award presentation ceremony took place on October 15th, 2024 at the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities in Berlin.
Retinopathy of prematurity
In the case of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), this deals with a disease of the retina that affects premature infants. If left untreated, the disease can lead to a detachment of the retina and progress to blindness. Afflicted with this disease particularly often are babies born before the 31st week of pregnancy. A weight at birth of less than 1,500 grams poses an additional risk factor. Moreover, receiving artificial respiration increases the chance of a baby suffering from ROP.
Establishment of a program to prevent blindness
The Unidad Nacional de Oftalmología is a partially state-run organization that provides highest-quality eye care at affordable prices, and training for professional staff. Acting jointly with the Unidad organization, Dr. Asturias has developed a program to prevent baby blindness. The program is being implemented with the support of the abovementioned Christian Blind Mission (CBM) and includes inter alia the screening of preterm infants at the Unidad’s Outpatient Department, which adjoins Roosevelt Hospital in Guatemala City. Thanks to this early detection, further steps toward treatment, for example via laser treatment or using medication, are able to be initiated on a timely basis for those newborn infants affected.
To enable patients to benefit from these measures on a broader scale, even in remote regions, Dr. Ana Lucía Asturias and the Unidad organization have built up a network. Of the 43 government hospitals with neonatal departments, 15 are affiliated with the program. In all of Guatemala there are only barely a dozen eye doctors who specialize in children. That’s why telemedicine plays a central role in the project. In addition to this, medical professionals are given advanced training through online courses, and ophthalmologists receive hands-on training in screening at the Unidad Nacional de Oftalmología.
Yet another decisive factor in the project’s success is the financial coverage of the costs for examinations and follow-up treatments. In 2023, around 1,750 babies were examined within the scope of the project: retinopathy of prematurity was diagnosed in 281. In the majority of them the disease disappeared all by itself. 55 preterm infants received the necessary treatment – either using injections or a laser. The EKFS prize money will be used to continue and consolidate the activities. The aim is to involve more hospitals and expand the program nationwide.
Please find the press release here.
Impressions from the award ceremony on October 15, 2024 in der Berlin-Brandenburgischen Akademie der Wissenschaften in Berlin.
