Cape Town - After years of suffering from poor eyesight, 75 Eastern Cape pensioners have a new ‘view’ of life after they had their cataracts removed at St Barnabas Hospital in Libode.
The cataract surgeries were part of a medical outreach that the Eastern Cape Department of Health embarked on in partnership with the South African National Council for the Blind (SANCB), which saw half of the 150 pensioners who were screened benefit from the programme.
Beneficiaries said that they were happy with how the surgeries went.
Pensioner Siphethe Phatsha said he started experiencing eyesight problems while he working in Johannesburg many years ago.
“I am very happy I have finally had this operation. I am also happy that all of us who were operated on had successful operations.I can already feel that my eyesight will be (fully) restored,” he said.
Nolulamile Khatshaza said that her eye problems began in 2017.
“I have been trying to get help since then so I am happy that I did get the help that I desperately needed. I am very happy. My quality of life will improve now. I am very grateful to God for helping me,” she said.
Health MEC Nomakhosazana Meth, said: “We will continue with these outreach programmes so that we take services to where people are and bring hope to our people. We are grateful to the South African National Council for the Blind for being a reliable partner all these years.
“This is yet another story of good progress as we continue to improve the quality of services that we offer and improve people’s quality of life,” she said.
Meth said more cataract surgeries will be done around the province with the next batch of work scheduled in Matatiele, on May 5.
Cape Times