Over 400 Chaani residents in Changamwe Sub-County received a free eye clinic sponsored by Focus Container Freight Station (CFS).
Community Health Promoters partnered with Lions Medical Eye and Laser Centre to organise an eye clinic for vulnerable residents suffering from eye ailments.
Inderjeet Main, Vice Governor of the Lion Club Mombasa, announced that they will address minor eye issues and provide necessary medicines.
“Ten individuals with cataracts are scheduled to undergo advanced treatment and surgery at the Lion Centre,” he added.
He thanked the firm for sponsoring the outreach and for promising to make it a regular event in the constituency.
Furthermore, the patients who are supposed to undergo cataract surgeries will be transferred by vehicles provided by Mombasa Cement Company for free to the hospital.
On the other hand, parents were urged to ensure their children undergo regular eye checkups to improve their performance in school instead of castigating them for underperformance, as their eyesight may have issues.
“It is recommended that once a year, you take your child for a checkup. A normal checkup for a child is free. We organise at the Lion Centre; if there is a cost for glasses, it will be negligible. We are a not-for-profit organisation,” said Main.
Yusuf Swaleh, Focus CFS Security and CSR Manager, says they will fully sponsor the patients to undergo the cataract surgeries.
“Our target was 400, but the way we have seen it will surpass 600. The crowd encouraged us to conduct the clinic every six months. The community is demanding the clinics,” stated Swaleh.
Kambua Wambua, a beneficiary of the eye clinic, lauded the initiative. She had itchy eyes and frequent headaches. Emily Mweke was over the moon as she was treated and given glasses and drugs.
“I have been treated and got a referral for surgery. It would have cost me a lot of money. I thank all the organisations that made this possible,” said Mweke.
The Area Chief, Ben Valasa, encouraged the residents to register with the Social Health Authority to get treatment in all health facilities and avoid the naysayers.
“The government’s focus is to end medical appeals for patients to be taken for treatment either to the Kenyatta National Hospital or abroad in India,” said the chief.
By Gesimba Gloria
