By Gerald Mukembu
Residents of Garbatula town and its environs including Kinna, Rapsu and Duse in Isiolo South have a reason to smile, following the roll out of a week-long free eye screening and surgical procedure to remove cataracts.
This is aimed at eliminating avoidable blindness among the elderly members of the community who are the most affected by visual challenges.
The initiative is courtesy of the County Government of Isiolo in partnership with Johnson and Johnson company, and Operation Eyesight Universal.
Johnson and Johnson program coordinator for the initiative Samson Nyongesa said that the partners targeted Garbatula Sub County due to the high prevalence of cataracts and other eyesight disorders.
He said they saw it prudent to bring the services closer to the patients, other than having them incur further expenses to travel to Isiolo or Meru for similar services, when the Garbatula Sub County Hospital Theatre could be ideal for the crucial operations to restore eyesight to the hundreds of people who are suffering in silence.
According to Dr. Adan Mohamed, a cataract surgeon based at the Garbatula Sub County Referral Hospital, the free eye care camp which began with screening in the rural areas has enabled the screening for cataracts of over 700 people so far, with a total of 152 cases of cataracts being positively diagnosed, and booked for surgery this week at the Garbatula Sub County Hospital Theatre to correct the anomaly.
The surgical procedure conducted by a team of optical experts expected to continue with the screening in other areas of Isiolo South such as Gafarsa, Malkadaka, Sericho and Modogashe in the weeks to follow.
Dr. Adan said that they are targeting to diagnose and remove cataracts from at least 1,000 people by the end of December this year.
Isiolo County Government’s CECM in charge of Health Services Lucy Kaburu called upon members of the public to take advantage of the free eye care camp and turn out in large numbers for the free eye care camp at the Garbatula Hospital which is set to continue until Friday.
She acknowledged Johnson and Johnson company as well as Operation Eyesight Universal for teaming up with the County Department of Health to offer the critical eye care services free of charge for residents of Isiolo South, noting that elimination of avoidable blindness remains a costly affair, with many families unable to afford the cost of surgeries and screening.
Apart from the screening and surgical procedures, patients in need of optical glasses will also receive them for free courtesy of the initiative.
Garbatula Hospital Board Chairman Duba Kara who was also one of the beneficiaries for the free cataract surgery lauded the initiative as one that will greatly transform the lives of beneficiaries through restoring their eyesight.
Nassir Shariff, a resident of Garbatula town also hailed the partners and the county government for the initiative, noting that families of beneficiaries have been handed a huge sigh of relief, with their loved ones enabled to see yet again and at no cost.
