Organisation for the Prevention of Blindness
Preserving Sight
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| Formation | January 13, 1978 |
|---|---|
| Type | INGO |
| Purpose | Ocular Health in Africa |
| Headquarters | 17, Villa Alésia Paris 14th Arrondissement |
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Region served
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Francophone West Africa |
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Official language
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French |
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Secretary General
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Dr Bernard Philippon |
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President
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Professor Serge Resnikoff |
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Vice Presidents
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Professor Christian Corbé Dr Jean-Paul Boissin |
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Treasurer
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Dr Pierre Huguet |
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Key people
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Bernard Philippon, Christian Monnier |
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Main organ
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Board of non-executive directors |
| Affiliations |
WHO IAPB Vision 2020 International Coalition for Trachoma Control NTD NGDO Network |
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Budget
|
EUR 1,207,321 (2012) |
| Website | http://www.opc.asso.fr/?lang=en |
The Organisation for the Prevention of Blindness (French: ) is an international non-governmental organisation (INGO) whose actions today focus exclusively on French-speaking countries in West Africa. Their mission is to preserve and restore sight amongst some of the most under-privileged communities in the region. The OPC's principal actions concern blindness prevention, treatment and the elimination of blinding diseases, such as onchocerciasis, trachoma, glaucoma and cataracts as well as formal ophthalmological training.
The OPC was founded on January 13, 1978 by Christian Monnier. Retired from the banking industry, he decided to work with Professor André Dubois-Poulsen, who was the head of department of the XV-XX Hospital and President of the French Ophthalmological Society and Pierre Aubé, an ex-financial advisor.
Professor Dubois-Poulsen presided over the OPC Board of Directors for eight years and organised its first projects in Africa, notably the Yeleen Program in Mali. Thanks to this project, the OPC became a member of the International Agency for Prevention of Blindness (IAPB)
Over the years, the OPC has greatly increased its number of missions, creating primary eye care networks, and supporting the African Institute of Tropical Ophthalmology (IOTA). Then, under the presidency of Professor Jean Langlois, the ex-Head of department of the CHU of Rouen, and thanks to Dr. Marcel Chauvet, the medical Inspector General, onchocerciasis, or “river blindness”, control in Africa was elevated to high priority. Onchocerciasis control is still being carried out in conjunction with other NGOs and the World Health Organisation. Links were also established with the Ministry of Cooperation and Development.
During this period of the OPC’s history, a program to create an ophthalmological service in at GRALL Pediatric Hospital in Saigon (Vietnam) was successfully led for five years.
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Wikipedia