Baringo county government is targeting to establish more eye units in all the seven sub counties in order to boost eye care services.
Speaking during World Sight Day at KANU grounds in Kabarnet town, the County Director for Administration Health Services Salome Chelimo noted with concern that patients with eye sight problems travel more than 100 kilometres up to Baringo County Referral Hospital, Kabarnet, to seek medical services.
Chelimo stated that the patients apart from wasting time to seek an appointment with an eye specialist, they also end up spending a lot of money to reach the facility.
“We intent to roll out eye care services in some of the small health facilities like dispensaries because we have seen that the county have many people who are living in remote areas and are challenged in seeking for medical attention,” she said.
The health services director pointed out that the county has over 500 persons who are faced with different challenges concerning eye sight and not able to go for screening.
Her counterpart in the department of Preventive and Promotive Health Services Dr Patrick Boruet noted that Tiaty was leading in Trachoma cases and there was need for more outreaches in the vast region.
Dr Boruet at the same time said that although cases of eye cataract has reduced from 28 to 12 per cent, cases of adults aged 50 years and above alongside the youthful population who have been exposed to lifestyle diseases like diabetes is on the rise.
He stated that the department will soon conduct a mass drug administration in the affected areas in order to eradicate the disease.
Thomas Chepchieng, County Director for Medical Services in his remarks stated that the health department will team up with other partners like Fred Hollows Foundation to conduct periodical medical checkups across the 30 wards of the county.
The medical services director urged residents to supplement their efforts by also practicing the highest levels of hygiene and sanitation so as to reduce cases of trachoma in the county.
By Faith Lagat
