Tatenda Shunyai
MASVINGO – A senior officer in the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) Major Manasa Mahapa has organised a free cataract operation camp for the people of Chivi as part of his social responsibility programme.
The project will be run at Chivi District Hospital on September 22 and 23, 2016.
It is a charitable initiative by Major Mahapa to restore the sight of the many elderly rural folk many of whom are living with various levels of reversible blindness due to cataracts.
Major Mahapa has so far managed to mobilise resources and stakeholders in the health sector towards the initiative which is expected to benefit hundreds of cataract suffers who cannot afford to fund their own surgeries.
After being touched by the plight of poor suffers of the condition, the army major engaged Dr Archie Kufa, an eye specialist who helped in the resource mobilisation drive.
“This eye camp is targeted at hundreds of people who will undergo surgery within those two days,” said Major Mahapa.
“We are inviting everybody who needs the operation to Chivi District Hospital for a life-changing experience. Transport arrangements have been put in place to help those travelling from far away places,” he said, encouraging those from nearby places like Zvishavane and Shurugwi to come.
Various goodies also await the elderly who will undergo surgery.
Major Mahapa praised the Hindu Society for being a major donor towards the initiative.
He also commented the Ministry of Health and Child Care, Council for the Blind and other different organisations for their efforts.
Other big contributors to the initiative include Metro Peach wholesalers.
Acting Medical Officer at the district hospital, Dr William Mawoko will also be helping out during the camp with the screening team of opticians attending to those who need the operation.
Cataract surgery is the removal of a cloudy lens from the eye, and replacing it with an artificial lens so as to restore clear vision.
The surgery is performed on an outpatient basis.news
