Minister of Health Sylvia Masebo says eye diseases are one of the neglected health conditions in the country with 339,081 blind people and over 200,000 requiring treatment according to the 2014 statistics.
Ms. Masebo has commended Cooperating Partners who have been supplementing government’s effort in providing quality eye health services.
The minister said this during a stakeholder meeting with a consortium of eye health service providers in Lusaka today.
Speaking on behalf of the consortium Christian Blind Mission Country Director Linda Nonde revealed that among the major challenges the sector is facing include inadequate staff for eye hospitals and clinics despite the disease burden being very high.
Dr. Nonde said the country only has about 38 ophthalmologists with most facilities lacking eye condition treatment drugs and consumables such as eye drops.
She has since called for increased investment in the supply chain to the eye health sector and increased recruitment of health personnel across the country.
Dr. Nonde has also called for the integration of primary eye care into other primary health care activities.
“We ask for maximization of resources for inclusive eye health and not treat eye health as a standalone in the provision of primary health services. We also ask that registered nurses and clinical officers be provided further basic training in primary eye care to enable them treat the very basic eye conditions at primary health facilities”, she said.
Dr. Kasonde further called for accessibility of eye care activities.
And in response Ms. Masebo acknowledged that the eye sector has been neglected and overlooked, stating that it is unfortunate that the national budget does not have a specific allocation to eye health care services.
The minister has however assured the partners that she will ensure that 51 ophthalmologists are among the 11,200 health workers to be employed.
She further assured them that the ministry will work closely with ZAMSSA to ensure that basic medicines needed for eye treatment are part of the health center kit.
Ms. Masebo stated that eye health will be one of the major areas that will be considered for fund allocation for the 2023 national budget.
She has since proposed that Zambia has annual eye care week every beginning of March in an effort to raise awareness on eye conditions as well as enable organizations reach out to communities in providing eye health care.
Ms. Masebo has since thanked partners and donors for the tremendous support given to Zambia in the field of eye health, acknowledging that most of the support, infrastructure and programs around eye care are donor funded.
The Consortium includes organisations such as Onesight,Cbm, Sightsavers, Orbis, Operation Eyesight University, Vision Aid Overseas, Lions Aid Zambia among others.
Please stop asking for pcr tests for fully vaccinated zambians arriving back into zambia.
First Remove Covid Mandate restrictions on Churches officially. How can you remove them officially on Bars but not the Church? What exactly do you have against the Church of Jesus Christ in Zambia? No wonder we have so many sacrificial deaths of people on roads and in suicide.
Africa has been subjected to European covid mandates without any input from African nations. It’s citizens are just told to get European vaccines to be allowed into Europe yet Africa doesn’t request Europeans to get African vaccines or muti. It’s time Africa stood up and had its voice heard!
Looking at mukunis wife, men definitely have eye problems in southern province