The Fred Hollows Foundation on Monday donated eye equipment worth Sh3 million to Jaramogi Oginga Odinga and Teaching Referral Hospital in Kisumu.
The equipment includes keratometers, cataract sets, lid sets and a scan machine aimed at improving eye healthcare services at the hospital.
Foundation country director Jane Ohuma said the donation would help the poor who cannot afford treatment in private hospitals due to high costs.
“With the donations of the equipment to public health facilities, we hope those vulnerable people will be able to access the much-needed services,” she said.
Ohuma spoke at the hospital when she presented the donation. County health chief officer Gregory Ganda and hospital CEO Dr George Rae received the equipment.
Ohuma said they have partnered with the county government of Kisumu to improve the provision of eye care services to residents.
“Eye healthcare is one of the critical areas which has in the past not been given funding consideration, yet several people are having eye problems. It is high time we give it the necessary support it deserves,” she said.
In villages, she said, young children do not go to school because their families cannot afford to take them to a specialist.
The elderly have also gone blind because less priority has been given to eye healthcare, Ohuma said.
She urged the National Health Insurance Fund to include all eye healthcare services in the scheme to enable vulnerable families to access needed services.
Ohuma praised Governor Anyang Nyong’o for initiating Marwa Kisumu Solidarity Health Insurance Scheme to help the vulnerable in the county.
Kisumu county ophthalmologist consultant Dr Stephen Ojuma said JOOTRH handles between 15 and 20 cataract surgeries every week, with two to three emergencies daily.
He said the equipment will be helpful in offering eye healthcare services to residents. Most of those seeking services are from rural areas, Ojuma said.
The foundation has also made eye equipment donations to Homa Bay county worth Sh1.8 million. They include a scan machine and keratometer.
In Meru county, they have donated a slit lamp, a scan machine, cataract sets and a keratometer costing Sh2.7 million.
In Kitui, the foundation plans to donate a scan machine, a slit lamp with motorised table, cataract sets and tonopen (I care tonometer) worth Sh2.1 million.
Makueni will next week benefit from eye equipment donation worth Sh2.5 million.
The equipment includes cataract sets, refraction box, volk 90D lenses, steriliser, sterilisation sets, portable microscope and scan machine among others.
Ganda said the county government has come up with several health bills aimed at improving funding and service provision.
“We are grateful for the support of Fred Foundation to help us eliminate blindness among our people,” he said.
Ganda and Rae thanked the foundation for their support towards improving eye healthcare services in Kisumu.
