Kwale Governor Fatuma Achani has received medical equipment and hospital related items for optical services from Christian Blind Mission (CBM) organization based in Germany.
CBM is an international Christian development organization committed to improving the quality of life of people with disabilities in the poorest communities of the world.
The vital equipment was handed over to Governor Achani by David Muyindo, the Executive Director Christian Blind Mission at the county headquarters in Kwale town.
Achani thanked the donors for the donations while submitting that her administration had always prioritized public health. She said the medical equipment will facilitate effective eye screening, rehabilitation services, surgical procedures, specialized treatments and cataract operations.
Achani said the faith based organization in partnership with her administration is undertaking a four-year project in the region to aid those with visual impairment and blindness with the necessary medical eye services.
The Governor said the people who are struggling with vision problems will now have a sigh of relief through the arrival of eyeglasses and lenses, adding that the county has currently over 125,000 people with visual impairment challenges, with 80 per cent of the ailment being treatable.
She said the general objective of the four-year project is to ensure the prevalence of visual impairment and avoidable blindness in the coastal county is reduced.
“We remain most grateful for the medical donations which will go a long way in alleviating some of our challenges as a county,” she said, adding that the equipment will be put into good use.
Achani said the devolved government will ensure that people from the marginalized groups such as persons with disabilities, women and children and people living in abject poverty will be prioritized for screening and free glasses.
She urged area residents to come out and get their eyes checked in an effort to diagnose and curb eye diseases likely to affect their vision, adding that the health sector has remained one of the priority areas of her administration since she assumed the governor’s office last year.
“Basic and social medical equipment and gadgets have also been procured to enhance the treatment of common ailments and diseases of all public health importance,” she said adding that healthcare facilities have also received the transformation touch of her administration.
The county boss said before the inception of devolution in 2013, Kwale had only 35 health centres but today it has 150 health facilities spread in the six sub counties of Matuga, Msambweni, Kinango, Samburu, Shimba Hills and Lungalunga.
Muyindo said Christian Blind Mission will continue to provide help by supporting county government-driven health systems and eye care facilities“No person young or old should face a lifetime of avoidable blindness just because they are poor and can’t afford medication,” he said.
Muyindo noted that economic hardships prevent many people from getting effective eye screening and treatment.
He said CBM has been working with partners in Kenya since 1970s preventing blindness, improving health and helping people with disabilities go to school, earn a living, access health care/rehabilitation and secure respect in their communities.
By Hussein Abdullahi
