Dereje Hayilu Anbesse

PhD Candidate

Postgraduate Research Student

Medicine & Health School of Optometry and Vision Science

BIOGRAPHY

Dereje is an optometrist and public health professional from Ethiopia. Currently he is pursuing his PhD study in SOVS, studying the economic impacts of rare and very severe contact lens complication so called Acanthamoeba keratitis. His career success was through the clinical optometry services, training both under and post graduate optometry and ophthalmology students and research works. He published all his research products on reputable internation journals. Throughout his 12 years of working experiences, he engaged himself in community services and voluntary activities at national and organizational levels. Dereje is living his passion by upgrading his career and now he is at level of studying the PhD program.

Research Title: Economic evaluations of Acanthamoeba keratitis treatment

Primary Supervisor: Scientia Associate Professor Nicole Carnt

Co-Supervisor: Scientia Professor Fiona Stapleton

Research Abstract

Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK) is a rare but a severe and blinding corneal infection. The common treatment of AK includes dual therapy by PHMB 0.02% and Propamidine 0.1%. Recently, the study conducted by UCL and SIFI, revealed that monotherapy by PHMB 0.08 has shorter cure times than common PHMB and propamidine dual therapy.

As it is a new product, there will be economic costs associated at the individual and societal level. Conversely, this product will be expected to improve the health and vision related quality of life of patients affected with AK. Analysing PHMB 0.08%’s economic impact and its effectiveness in terms of quality adjusted life years over periods of time has a paramount importance in using the new regimen.

The study design includes quantitative, qualitative, and triangulated design (combinations of both). Data from prior studies and prospectively for patients who are treated by both treatment choices will be collected on a longitudinal basis. The direct, indirect treatment costs and societal costs will be evaluated, and health utility score will be determined over hypothetical cohort series. Quality adjusted life years and incremental cost effectiveness ratio/utility ratio will be calculated to determine how much QALYs will be gained for both monotherapy and dual therapy.

Email:

d.anbesse@unsw.edu.au

Publications

1. Anbesse DH, W/Yohannes G, Assefa M. Productivity loss and predictive factors among visually impaired adults in tertiary Eye Care Centers, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: Dual Center Cross-sectional Study. Clin Ophthalmol. 2022; 16:3661-3671. https://doi.org/10.2147/OPTH.S383600, opens in a new window

2. Gessesse GW, Debela AS, Anbesse DH. Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness and Optic Disc Parameters measured by Cirrus HD OCT among adults attending St. Paul’s Hospital Medical college. MJH, 2023: Volume 2 (1): 2790-1378.

3. Gessesse GW, Debela AS, Anbesse DH. Ocular Biometry and Their Correlations with Ocular and Anthropometric Measurements among Ethiopian Adults. Clinical Ophthalmology 2020:14 3363–3369. https://doi.org/10.2147/OPTH.S277359, opens in a new window

4. Anbesse DH, Bizuneh ZY, W-Gessesse G, Mengistu MA (2022) Vision Related Quality of Life among Cataract Patients Attending Cataract Surgery Campaigns in Ethiopia: A Dual Center Study. J Clin Exp Ophthalmol. 13:915.

5. Anbesse DH, W. Gessesse G. Knowledge and practice towards glaucoma among glaucoma patients at University of Gondar Tertiary Eye Care and Training Center. European Journal of Ophthalmology. 2022;32(5):2913-2919. doi:10.1177/11206721221074203

6. Bizuneh ZY, Gessesse GW, Anbesse DH. Barriers to Cataract Surgery Utilization Among Cataract Patients Attending Surgical Outreach Sites in Ethiopia: A Dual Center Study. Clin Optom (Auckl). 2021;13:263-269 https://doi.org/10.2147/OPTO.S324267, opens in a new window

7. Munaw MB, Assefa NL, Anbesse DH, Tegegne MM. Practice and Associated Factors among Adult Residents towards Traditional Eye Medicine in Gondar City, Northwest Ethiopia. Hindawi Journal of Ophthalmology. 2020. https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/3548204, opens in a new window

8. Yibekal BT, Alemu DS, Anbesse DH, Alemayehu AM, Alimaw YA. Vision-related quality of life among adult patients with visual impairment at university of Gondar, Northwest Ethiopia. Hindawi Journal of Ophthalmology. 2020. https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/9056097, opens in a new window

9. Munaw, M. B., Lakachew, N. A., Anbesse, D. H. (2021). Attitude and its Associated Factors among Adults towards Traditional Eye Medicine in Gondar City, Northwest Ethiopia: A Cross-sectional Study. International Journal of Public Health Research, 11(2). Retrieved from https://spaj.ukm.my/ijphr/index.php/ijphr/article/view/32, opens in a new window

10. Anbesse DH, Yibekal BT, Assefa NL. Adherence to topical glaucoma medications and associated factors in Gondar University Hospital Tertiary Eye Care Center, northwest Ethiopia. European Journal of Ophthalmology. 2017; 1-7. https://doi.org/10.1177/1120672118772517, opens in a new window

11. Belete GT, Anbesse DH, Tsegahe AT, Hussen MS. Prevalence and associated factors of myopia among high school students in Gondar town. Clinical optometry Journal. 2017:9 11–18.

12. Anbesse DH, Ayele FA, Gebreselase KL. The Outcome of Trabeculectomy Surgery among Patients at University of Gondar Tertiary Eye Care and Training Center, Northwest Ethiopia. J Clin Exp Ophthalmol. 2017; 8(6):703.DOI: 10.4172/2155-9570.1000703.

13. Cherinet, F. M., Tekalign, S. Y., Anbesse DH., & Bizuneh, Z. Y. (2018). Prevalence and associated factors of low vision and blindness among patients attending St. Paul's Hospital Millennium Medical College, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. BMC ophthalmology, 18(1), 232. doi:10.1186/s12886-018-0899-7.

14. Anbesse DH, kassa Ts, Kefyalew B, Tasew A, Atnie A, Desta B. Prevalence and associated factors of pterygium among adults in Gondar city. PLoS ONE 12(3): e0174450. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0174450, opens in a new window

15. Hayilu D, Legesse K, Lakachew N, Asferaw M. Prevalence and associated factors of vernal keratoconjunctivitis among children living in Gondar city, northwest Ethiopia. BMC Ophthalmology. 2016; 16:167. DOI 10.1186/s12886-016-0345-7

16. Assefa NL, Weldemichael DZ, Alemu HW, Anbesse DH. Prevalence and associated factors of computer vision syndrome among Bank workers in Gondar city. Clinical Optometry. 2017; 9: 67–76

2024- Started PhD study in Optometry, UNSW, Sydney, Australia

2021- General MPH, Yekatit 12 Hospital Medical College, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

2015- MSc in Clinical Optometry, University of Gondar, Ethiopia

2011- BSc in Optometry, University of Gondar, Ethiopia
2024 - University International Postgraduate Award for PhD study at UNSW, Australia

2023 - Best Optometrist of the year 2022/23; awarded by Ethiopian Optometric Association

2021 - Recognition award from Kenya Optometry Association for Long Journey in Optometry
2011- Attended African council of Optometry annual conference, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

2021- Attended and presented research paper on African council of Optometry annual conference, Nairobi, Kenya

2017, 2018, 2022, 2023- Organized Ethiopian Optometric association annual scientific conference
Ethiopian optometric Association since August 2011

Employee of St. Paul’s Hospital Millenium Medical College, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

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