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Samuel Undenge

Liberty Dube Mutare Bureau
MORE than 200 people are this week expected to benefit from free cataract operations and other eye treatments in Nyanga, courtesy of the Council for the Blind and Nyanga Is Supa Foundation.

Over 100 people turned up for the operations at Nyanga Hospital when the exercise started early this week. More people from villages in Nyanga are expected to be operated during the exercise, which ends on Saturday.

The patients underwent screening first at clinics in villages in Nyanga South and Nyanga North such as Nyajeni, Nyatate, Tombo, Regina, Ruchera and Nyautare among others.

The operations are being conducted by Council for the Blind as part of their voluntary works. They are partnering Information, Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services Minister, Supa Mandiwanzira, who is also Nyanga South Member of National Assembly.

In an interview, Nyanga district medical officer, Dr Admore Jokwiro applauded the development saying it was critical to do the operations.

“The operations will be running until Friday or Saturday depending on the number of patients who would have turned up. The first day of operations has registered a huge turnout and we are expecting more patients to come.

“We are grateful that the Council for the blind came to Nyanga just when eye cataract patients needed them the most. It is a welcome development,” he said.

The operations come at a time when some villagers with different ailments such as eye, dental, gynecology and heart and liver surgeries in Nyanga were struggling to acquire medical services because of a plethora of reasons such as financial constraints and scarcity of specialist surgeons.

Patients who sought eye cataract treatment, especially the elderly, told The Herald that the partnering of the Council for the blind and Nyanga Is Supa Foundation was a dream come true.

“We never thought we would receive this treatment for free. We are both unemployed and we are struggling financially. I have had eye problems for the past five years and I did not have money to get treatment,” said Mr Percy Nyatate who was accompanied by his 73-year old wife, Chironzi.