MESCA FOUNDATION
MEDICAL EXCELLENCE AND SCIENCE IN CENTRAL ASIA
The MESCA Foundation (Medical Excellence and Science in Central Asia) is a non-governmental, and non-profit organization engaged in philanthropic sponsorship of medical and clinical research and other initiatives aimed at developing and improving public health and providing access to healthcare in the Central Asian regions.
The fund was founded in Switzerland in 2021 and launched in Uzbekistan in 2022. Bakhtiyor Fazilov is the chairman of the board of directors.
Message from the Founder
The companies created over the years on my initiative and with my investment have always worked in the interest of our state, striving to provide for the immediate needs of society. Today, one of the most important goals is to bring forth the good clinical practices and modern technology necessary to improve the health of our population, especially the most vulnerable groups. These goals require fundamental scientific research, development of clinical infrastructure, improvement of the quality of medical education and dissemination of innovative approaches in this field. It is also necessary to attract foreign experts and funds to support these goals. The MESCA Foundation was created to serve this overall mission
Our Activities
The Foundation’s mission is to promote scientific research, the sharing of knowledge and practical expertise in order to improve medical practice and ensure better health for the people of Central Asia.
The MESCA Foundation creates conditions that promote the development of medical infrastructure, improve the quality of health education and disseminate innovative approaches in this field.
The MESCA Foundation hosts four pillars to achieve its mission of developing and improving public health and providing access to high quality healthcare for the people of Central Asia. These pillars are:
Access (to technology / treatment)
Outreach (to vulnerable population or high-risk patient groups)
Education / Training (clinicians, technicians, nurses, parents, teachers, as well as patients)
Research
Projects
Projects that we are currently engaged in
Join us in making a difference
Femto – CAIRS
The Femto – CAIRS project was launched in December 2022. This pilot project of the MESCA Foundation aims to create and implant CAIRS (corneal allograft intrastromal rings) to improve the vision of patients after keratoconus treatment.
In the regions surrounding Uzbekistan, the prevalence of keratoconus in young people is believed to be heightened compared to the general population. While the diseased and compromised corneal tissue can now be treated, improving the quality of vision was still lacking. Keratoconus has three phases of treatment: detection, treatment and managing and improving visual quality. And, the FEMTO-CAIRS projects addresses the last phase of treatment.
As part of a pilot project, the MESCA Foundation Board has selected Prof. Farad Hafezi from the ELZA Institute in Zurich, Switzerland, as the first recipient of research funds. His project focuses on translational research that aims to address the growing need for vision rehabilitation in keratoconus.
The aim of the project:
- Establishing CAIRS technology using a femtosecond laser
- Performing CAIRS surgery on patients.
Project 21
Keratoconus in Pediatric Down Syndrome Patients
In August 2023, the foundation collaborated with two organizations: The Light for Sight Foundation (Zurich, Switzerland) and Tabasuum, a patient organization that supports families with Down syndrome children. The goal of the collaboration was to screen for keratoconus among all Down Syndrome children and adolescents. Down Syndrome children are at a heightened risk for having keratoconus because of their pre-existing disposition to connective tissue disorders, and the cornea comprises connective tissue. It is also known that the pediatric population have a much higher progression rate than adults, and therefore, Down Syndrome children are a very high-risk group for keratoconus.
Join us in making a difference
Through this collaboration, 113 families were enrolled in the screening. From these families, 65 children were compliant for the keratoconus screening. The remaining children were not screened due to age and/or low compliance. The screening resulted in irregular corneas in 11 children; later 3 children were diagnosed with keratoconus. The MESCA Foundation, in partnership with Light for Sight Foundation, provided resources to cover both the screening and treatment.
– From March 11-14, 2024, another keratoconus screening was conducted in collaboration with the Agency of Social Protection, Tabassum, and hearing experts to now provide hearing tests for the Down Syndrome children and adolescents.
The MESCA Charitable Foundation, with the assistance of the Light for Sight Foundation and the Tashkent International Medical Centre, conducted a screening examination of children with Down syndrome of different age groups for the detection of keratoconus. The aim of the screening was to identify irregular corneas that can lead to serious impairment or permanent loss of vision if not treated in time. More than 174 children were registered, and 94 children were compliant to be screened. Of these 94 children, the initial finds were 20 patients with irregular corneas. A follow-up diagnosis and later treatment will happen in April 2024.
Our Mission
To serve as a charitable sponsor of medical and clinical research including other activities relating to the development and improvement of public health and access to healthcare in the Central Asian region
Our Aims
To support & fund screening and training initiatives within the Central Asian, and to identify patients in need of surgery
To support and fund clinical, translation and other research projects which have a close connection to the Central Asian region
To organize, support and fund training exchanges for medical residents, technical staff, nurses and other health professionals
To initiate, sponsor, support, fund and execute any telemedicine projects with are relevant to the Central Asian region
To organize conferences and other events which support and promote the activities of the Foundation
To interact with regulators, authorities, corporations, partners, banks and other third parties to the benefit of the foundation
To acquire, hold and assign license, trademarks and other IP-rights
To distributor receive contributions in fullfilment of the foundation’s purpose
To participate in organizations, corporate or projects
Our Projects
Education
Research
Outreach
Cooperation
Education
Since the pilot project of the MESCA Foundation is focused on ophthalmology, the support was provided to have Prof. Farhad Hafezi from the ELZA Institute establish relations and provide educational presentations to the local ophthalmologists in Uzbekistan.
Prof. Hafezi was an invited speaker at the annual Uzbek National Ophthalmological Society (IOC) for two consecutive years (2021 & 2022) in Tashkent.
Both presentations allowed coverage on the initiatives that are planned in collaboration with the MESCA Foundation and the ELZA Institute to support the improve vision
healthcare of the region.
Research
The MESCA Foundation’s pilot project is entitled, Femto – CAIRS, with a goal to establish a CAIRS (corneal allogenic intrastromal ring segments). This treatment is to improve on the visual impairment of the patient after keratoconus treatment. Keratoconus has an increased risk in regions surrounding Uzbekistan, and the leadership believes that this treatment will be a means to save vision for people of Central Asia.
Under the leadership of Prof. Farhad Hafezi, MD PhD of the ELZA Institute AG (Zurich, Switzerland), his research group will be lead the pilot research project. Prof. Hafezi is a prominent ophthalmic surgeon whose primary focus is medical and refractive corneal surgery, particularly the management of refractive laser surgery complications and the treatment of corneal ectatic disorders. He was instrumental in the clinical development and international establishment of corneal cross – linking (CXL) for the treatment of keratoconus, ectasia after LASIK and infectious keratitis.
Specifically, this project is focused on the development of technology and clinical applications related to the treatment of corneal dystrophies and diseases.
Outreach
Medical training on modern technology are two challenges that physicians face in Uzbekistan. Specifically, having access to the technology and having highqualified user of the technology providing the educational training have been overcome due to the support of the MESCA Foundation.
Again, with the theme of improved vision care for the people of Uzbekistan and Central Asia, the MESCA Foundation and Prof. Farhad Hafezi has organized and supported a hands-on wet lab instructing medical students, residents and young doctors on how to perform corneal cross-linking to treat for keratoconus and infectious keratitis.
This technology was chosen because it is part of what is called the SMART (Small, Mobile, Affordable, Reliable Technology) portfolio. In other words, this highly sophisticated technology is designed to be simplistic in useability to reduce the risk for the patient. The goal is that more patients will have access to treatment due to the hurdles of availability of highly trained surgeons and cost of treatment
are significantly reduced.
Cooperation
– MESCA Charitable Foundation and Andijan State Medical Institute started cooperation in the field of medical education and research. The agreement was signed in Andijan on 14 March 2024. It involves the exchange of teachers, researchers and students, as well as the exchange of information and literature to develop the study of the field and medical practice. The cooperation will bring research ideas and modalities, clinical educational courses and surgical trainings, as well as public health initiatives.
Every dollar counts: invest in a brighter future
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Charity Events
Future and past events that MESCA either organized, or sponsored.
