Free eye camp set for Bulawayo

Hundreds of people from the southern region are set to benefit from a free eye operation session to be conducted by the Islamic Medical Association of Zimbabwe in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Child Care at Richard Morris Hospital, an arm of the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) from the 27th to the 30th of this month.

Scores of people from disadvantaged backgrounds in need of specialised treatment are facing a torrid time as such services now require payment upfront and in most cases in foreign currency.

The free eye operation programme will run for three days and will also see experts from Al Basar International Foundation teaming up with local experts.

"We are saying to Zimbabweans, this is your time to get your eye problems fixed. Those who can afford to come to UBH, the time is now. We will be having equipment like phacoemulsification which is not readily available to be brought by our partners. We are targeting to operate about 600 people by the end of the programme and the plight of the people is what has motivated us to come up with this programme as most of the people can no longer afford such treatment," said Mr Aside Chibwana from the Islamic Medical Association of Zimbabwe.

The 3-day eye camp will be preceded by a screening session which begins on Monday to Tuesday next week.

The organisers have since indicated that going forward, outreach programmes to district levels will be carried out as they seek to accommodate all Zimbabweans in the free eye camp programme.