Turkana will now have its first eye clinic located in Lokitaung’.
The facility officially launched by Governor Josphat Nanok will cater to patients suffering from trachoma, cataracts and eye surgery.
Eyes services coordinator in Turkana, Samson Lokele said that Cataract is the main cause of blindness in Turkana and now residents can breathe a sigh of relief as they had to travel for long distances to get eye care services.
This comes as a partnership between the Turkana County government and the Spanish Eye doctors through MCSPA- Missionary Community of Saint Paul Apostle under the Turkana Eye Turkana Eye project.
The project includes two operating theatres, a six-bed pre-and post-operation.
Nanok said the theatres are expected to reduce the number of surgical related referrals and minor ophthalmic ailments in the county all the way to Lodwar.
Ethiopia, Uganda and South Sudan will also benefit from the facility.
Between September 5-30, Nanok, had carried out an outreach programme in Turkana North and Kibish.
The outreach managed to screen 211 patients, out of which 62 were referred for surgeries in the new Lokitaung operating theatre.
According to Lokele, the eye camp began on the 8th to 13th October, whereby 130 patients were treated at the eye clinic in addition to the 62 surgeries done by local and Spanish volunteer ophthalmologists.
The residents are happy with the move as eye care health will improve in the Northern region.
Living in a remote village in Naturomoe in the South-Eastern part of Ethiopia, Atirr Lokai’s life took a dramatic turn when growth started in her right eye which also started itching, including the surrounding part of the face.
Suffering from terrible headaches, as a result, she went to her parish priest for pain killers to ease the pain.
“For three months, my headaches prevented me from even doing house chores or milking. If it were not for the Father to bring me to this hospital, I would still be in pain,” she said through a translator.
On the last day of the eye camp, the 65-year-old Attir was patient number 57 to undergo an eye operation in the newly constructed operating theatre.
She was among the six patients from the Nyang’atom community on the Ethiopian side of the border. Already discharged, Attir heads back home, which is a 12-hour drive from Lokitaung, to join her family.
“I’m very happy that there are no more headaches and at home now, I can continue with my responsibilities as before,” a glad Attir said.
Edited by D Tarus
