Dr. Lydia Namwanje, a Senior Medical Officer at the Ministry of Health, expressed her expectation that the turnout for the camp may exceed initial estimates. However, she indicated that the actual duration of the camp could be less than the planned five days due to funding challenges.
The Ministry of Health is set to conduct free eye surgeries for over 1,000 individuals in West Nile during a surgical camp scheduled from Monday to Thursday next week. This initiative is part of the activities to commemorate World Sight Day, which will take place in Arua City on Friday, October 18, 2024.
In addition to Arua City, the surgical camp will be held in the districts of Adjumani, Yumbe, Koboko, and Nebbi, all operating concurrently during this period. Dr. Lydia Namwanje, a Senior Medical Officer at the Ministry of Health, expressed her expectation that the turnout for the camp may exceed initial estimates. However, she indicated that the actual duration of the camp could be less than the planned five days due to funding challenges.
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On the first day of the camp, the ministry aims to screen 10,000 people and distribute 5,000 pairs of spectacles across the region within the week.
Mugerwa Simon, the Outreach Coordinator and Medical Social Worker at Mengo Hospital, urged health officials to evaluate the condition of eye theatres in local hospitals to facilitate effective planning and support for these facilities.
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Robinson Aliotretre, the Focal Person for Eye Care Services in Arua City, advised the public on the importance of regular eye checkups to ensure proper management of eye conditions.
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The surgical camp in Arua City will serve residents from Arua, Terego, Maracha, Madi-Okollo, and Arua City, while other districts will operate their independent camps. According to the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness, in 2020, an estimated 3.1 million people in Uganda were experiencing some form of vision loss, ranging from mild impairment to total blindness
Among these, 83,000 individuals (0.6% of the population) were blind, and nearly half a million suffered from moderate to severe low vision. The leading causes of blindness in the region include cataracts, glaucoma, corneal abrasion, and trachoma.