Chronicle Editor
Nothando Zondo, Sunday News Reporter
RESIDENTS of Bulawayo South constituency will benefit from a week long free eye camp courtesy of Zanu-PF National Assembly Member Hon Raj Modi which will see people also getting diabetes and blood pressure checks.
Hon Modi will be bringing an eye specialist from Denmark, Dr. Finn, who will be running a six-day eye camp at different places in Bulawayo. The initiative, which was targeting Bulawayo South will also be extended to Nketa Constituency led by Cde Albert Mavhunga in the spirit of camaraderie. Hon Modi said the camp was essential to assist residents who may have challenges seeking ocular health services regularly.
“Not only will they be offering free eye health services, they will also be given reading eye glasses. The purpose of these eye health services is to assist those with eye health problems in the community. The services are provided for free and assist members of the community who will be struggling to be seen by opticians,” he said.
Hon Modi, who is also the deputy minister of Industry and Commerce has been running free eye camps for the past six years, assisting many people in the communities. Additionally, Hon Modi has partnered with stakeholders in the medical field to bring services such as body mass index testing, cataract detection and management, eye health and awareness to the community.
This eye health camp will be conducted in six places on different dates, starting in Barham Green at St Francis of Assisi Anglican Church on February 16, followed by Christ The King Roman Catholic Church in Hillside on February 17, Bellevue Choppies Building in Bellevue on February 18, Thabiso Youth Center in Makokoba on February 19, Sizinda Hall on February 20, and lastly at Nketa Hall on February 21.
Hon Modi is also making strides on the education front and has donated a mobile computer laboratory that is driven to various locations in the city where learners can have access to its services. Last week the mobile computer lab was at St. Columba’s High School. It is fitted with 37 computers, Wifi, and it is also solar powered.
The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education Bulawayo Province has granted Hon Modi the permission to provide service to schools within the city to complement the Government’s Presidential Computers Programme in the Schools within the Province.
“St Columba’s as a leader in education and having attained a good percentage pass rate, it was ideal to do a first test run at the school as a way of assessing if we are also in line with the educational technological needs. St Columba’s High School has in the past week, seen a total of 904 O and A- level students benefit through Cala Research due to unlimited Internet access.
“The other schools set to benefit from this arrangement in February are Founders High School, Montrose High School and Hamilton High School,” added Hon Modi.
This initiative aims to complement the Government’s Presidential Computers Programme in schools within the province and push education 5.0 towards digitalisation.
Hon Modi envisions this intervention as an ongoing programme that will further groom students in Information Communication Technology at the Youth Innovation Hub, emphasising the importance of unlimited Internet access for educational advancement.
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter