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Blessings Chidakwa-Herald Reporter
A number of people yesterday got free eye screening in Norton as part of commemorations of the World Sight Day held under the theme, “Love your eyes”.
The day is celebrated every second Thursday of October.
Speaking during the main celebrations at Norton Hospital’s eye unit section, Chief Government Ophthalmologist Dr Boniface Macheka, said the day was set aside for advocacy and awareness raising on eye health.
He said eye health impacted education empowerment, quality of life, poverty and so many other sustainable development goals.
“On this day, we want to encourage governments, corporations, institutions and individuals to actively support universal access to eye health and ensure that everyone counts,” said Dr Macheka.
Ms Deborah Tigere, the country director for Christian Blind Mission which facilitated the celebrations, said this year’s theme was a reminder of how important eyes were, and the most dominant of peoples’ senses.
“According to the 2020 world report on vision globally, at least 2,2 billion people have a visual impairment and yet 1,1 billion have a vision impairment that can be addressed,” she said. “The burden lies in low to medium income countries including Zimbabwe.
“We also aim to promote the primary health system. With emphasis on strengthening the primary health system, our vision as an organisation resonates well with the priorities of the National Development Strategy 1 and the National Eye Strategy as we aim to achieve universal health coverage in Zimbabwe.”
Norton Eye Unit Ophthalmologist, Dr Ute Dibb, said the need for eye care services was huge, with more action and awareness needed.
“Internationally, it is assumed that one percent of the population is blind,” she said. “Surveys on avoidable blindness done in Zimbabwe found that we have a much higher rate, three percent of the population is blind.”
Online Reporter