County targets learners in war against eye problems
Dr John Mbogo, Tharaka-Nithi County Medical Services Director addressing journalists in Chuka town on November 10, 2022. He raised concerns over increased cases of eye cataracts.
The Fred Hollows Foundation has launched an eye treatment program targeting youth in Tharaka Nithi County as medics raise alarm over high cases of blindness in the devolved unit.
The exercise that will start in January will involve screening all learners in primary and secondary schools and treating those found with various eye problems including issuing reading glasses.
Speaking during a health and education stakeholders meeting in Chuka town in Chuka/Igambang’ombe constituency on Wednesday, Fred Hollows Foundation Senior Programs Manager Carmichael Nduri said health officers will move to every school.
He said the common eye problem among children below 18 years is refractive errors and can be corrected with glasses surgery.
He added that some children also suffer from allergic conjunctivitis, which occurs when the tissue becomes inflamed and causes itching and redness.
“We have partnered with the county government to help solve eye problems in this region and from January next year we will roll out a program to screen all learners in primary and secondary schools across the county,” said Mr Nduri.
Fred Hollows Foundation which is an international organization is working in 19 counties in Kenya.
Cataracts
Mr Robert Muchiri, a health officer working with Tharaka Nithi County Government said though the main eye problem in the county is cataracts which is common among adults aged 50 years and above, the devolved unit had decided to also target young people to reduce cases of blindness caused by other eye illnesses.
He said Fred Hollows Foundation landed in the county in 2018 and had helped the devolved unit start a specialised eye treatment unit in Chuka County Referral Hospital which conducts surgery for at least 50 patients for cataract problems alone every month.
He said in the last three months, 222 people with cataract problems had been operated on and regained sight.
“The eye unit is ever busy with patients and we look forward to helping many people regain sight in the next three years,” said Mr Muchiri.
Last week, the county’s Medical Services director John Mbogo noted that out of 3,000 people with an eye problem in the county, 300 have cataracts.
The devolved unit also holds outreach in one hospital in every sub-county per month.
However, Dr Mbogo regretted that some patients with cataracts were avoiding surgery fearing that they might lose sight completely.
