Page 23 - SESSION 1 (Graduation e-BOOK)(3 October 2023)

School of Nursing and Public Health
FACULTY OF HEALTH SCIENCES &
VETERINARY MEDICINE

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
IN PUBLIC HEALTH

CANDIDATE: AMOOMO Alfons

CANDIDATE’S DISSERTATION
DEVELOPMENT OF STRATEGIES FOR HEALTH
PROFESSIONALS TO FACILITATE GLAUCOMA
AWARENESS AMONG PUBLIC POPULATION IN
OMUSATI REGION, NAMIBIA.
The doctoral study was undertaken and completed under the
supervision of Prof. Hans Justus Amukugo of the University of Namibia
as a main-supervisor and Dr E Kamenye of the University of Namibia as
a co-supervisor.

iGlaucoma awareness is a very important step for early detection,
treatment and prevention of glaucoma related blindness. The study
revealed that glaucoma awareness can be enhanced through health
education. Health professionals also seem to have inadequate
awareness and knowledge regarding glaucoma. Other barriers to
glaucoma awareness included facilities, service providers, community,
and personal factors. Strategies and operational guidelines were
developed. These include strengthening of evidence-based glaucoma
awareness practices, the improvement of ophthalmic clinical practice
to address facility barriers, the mobilisation of human resources to
address provider barriers, engagement and empowerment of the
community and the public.

The implementation of these strategies could benefit health
professionals, policy-makers, ophthalmology, education, and
Omusati Region management and consequently reduced irreversible
glaucoma blindness.

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