adminLuthando Mapepa
THE Hindu Society, Ministry of Health and Child Care, in conjunction with the Council for The Blind held an eye camp at Chipinge District Hospital where hundreds benefitted this week.The camp which was focusing on restoration of sight for free to those with cataracts will end tomorrow (Saturday).
A team of ophthalmologists from Harare led by Dr Archibald Kufa, has been doing the operations since yesterday (Thursday).
People who spoke to The Manica Post commended the organisers of the eye camp for putting in place such a programme.
“This programme is a welcome development to some of us with eye problems. We have been struggling over the years to raise money for eye operations in Mutare, Harare and even outside the country, but this development will see many people benefiting. We greatly appreciate the efforts of all stakeholders behind this programme,” said Quedisani Siduna (51) who was waiting for an operation.
Chipinge District Medical Officer, Dr Saiko Mangombe, said the eye camp was an opportunity for locals to have free access to operations and treatment.
He said since there was a backlog of eye-cataract operations in the country, all people with eye problems were being encouraged to attend the eye camp.
“We are urging all eye patients to come and utilise this opportunity where health services are being offered for free. Eye cataract surgery services are expensive and this is the only opportunity where people can be attended to free. It costs about $70 for a cataract operation in Zimbabwe, but in this case the patients are attended to free of charge,” he said.
World Health Organisation figures show that there are about 125 000 people who are blind in Zimbabwe, of which 62 500 are blind due to cataracts.
Cataracts are the largest single cause of blindness in Zimbabwe and are the major cause of admission in eye hospitals.
The Ministry of Health and Child Care recognises avoidable blindness as a major health problem.
Zimbabwe is said to have annual cataract operations backlog of 60 000 and the magnitude of the problem is increasing each year due to population growth and life expectancy.
Eye disease is ranked among the top five causes of attendances in the outpatient departments in most health facilities in Chipinge District.
The last cataract operations were done in May 2012 at Chipinge District Hospital and 102 patients benefited.
There were 500 operations conducted and the remainder was not done due to logistical constraints.
Online Reporter