Online Reporter
Rutendo Mapfumo
A NEW era in eye health services has dawned in Hwange following the official opening of the St Patrick’s Vision Centre, a state-of-the-art facility that promises to transform access to quality eye care for both rural and urban communities in Matabeleland North.
The centre, established through a partnership between the Council for the Blind, the Ministry of Health and Child Care, the OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation and St Patrick’s Hospital, will cater to residents of Hwange as well as patients from neighbouring districts such as Binga and Lupane.
Speaking during the launch, Council for the Blind director Mr Aplos Nyathi, described the facility as a milestone in the pursuit of equitable eye health coverage across Zimbabwe.
“This vision centre will offer essential services including eye examinations, cataract surgeries and the provision of spectacles — ensuring that patients no longer have to travel long distances to Bulawayo or Harare for specialist treatment,” he said.
“This facility marks a new chapter in our efforts to make quality eye health services accessible to all. It will restore sight, dignity and opportunity to hundreds of people who might otherwise remain in the dark.”
The launch coincided with the global commemoration of World Sight Day, reinforcing calls for universal access to vision care and the prevention of avoidable blindness. Health officials noted that conditions such as cataracts and refractive errors remain prevalent in rural communities due to limited access to screening and treatment.
These centres, officials said, are designed to complement Government hospitals in reducing preventable blindness through early detection, affordable treatment and community awareness campaigns.
Partners hailed the St Patrick’s Vision Centre as a model for improving rural healthcare delivery. Representatives from the OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation, which equipped the facility and supplied spectacles for patients, reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring that no one is excluded from education or employment because of poor eyesight.
The Lions Club, a long-standing supporter of the Council for the Blind, also pledged continued assistance for community outreach programmes promoting early diagnosis and treatment of preventable eye diseases.
The official opening ceremony ran concurrently with cataract operations for more than 50 patients from Hwange District.
Local leaders and residents described the new centre as a “lifeline” for vulnerable groups, particularly the elderly and children in remote communities.
“Good vision is essential to learning, working and living a dignified life. Having these services close to home means more people can access help before their conditions worsen,” said local resident, Ms Nokuthaba Moyo.
Matabeleland Provincial Medical Director Dr Admire Keretu commended the Council for the Blind for its consistency and professionalism in strengthening the country’s eye health system.
He said partnerships with organisations such as Lions Clubs International and the OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation demonstrate how collective effort can turn “vision into reality” for thousands of Zimbabweans.
“Lions Clubs remains an all-weather partner, sustaining the Council for the Blind’s governance and programme delivery, while the OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation has been instrumental in donating optical equipment and eyeglasses to ensure affordable care,” said Dr Keretu. — New Ziana .
