17 Feb 2014

The two main eye referral hospitals in Botswana, Scottish Livingstone and Sekgoma Memorial last onFebruary 13 received over P1.3 million eye equipment donated by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. 

The donation was received by the Deputy Permanent Secretary (PS), Preventive Health Services in the Ministry of Health Ms Shenaaz El-Halabi.

She expressed happiness over the donation saying, visual impairment and blindness, have since caused great concern as they have far-reaching social, economic and developmental implications on individuals, families as well communities.

“When visual disability occurs in childhood, it challenges children’s development, lack of opportunity to attend school and when it strikes people of working age, they have difficulty obtaining any work,” she stated.

The Deputy PS emphasised the fact that government’s effort cannot be successful without the contribution of partners and other stakeholders such as churches.  

The organization, as Ms El-Halabi highlighted, made a similar donation sometime last year by contributing 300 reading spectacles, two cataract sets and laser lens and now hopeful that the special eye equipment will take the department closer to the elimination of avoidable blindness by 2020.   

She said in order for the Ministry of Health to eliminate blindness there is need to have special eye equipment in all the health facilities adding that having special equipment is not all what is required but qualified personnel but also regular servicing for sustainability. She further emphasised on the need for having an appropriate maintenance plan to maintain the standard.

Earlier during his handing over message, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Botswana’s National Public Affairs Director Mr Leonard Thebe briefed audience over the fact that the established humanitarian project in his church was health focused.

He said his church was grateful of the fact that the gesture will help provide quality service to members of the community who do not have the means to visit privately owned health facilities in search for the delivery of quality services.

Mr Thebe also expressed gratitude over his church’s commitment in collaborating with the ministry of Health towards fighting visual impairment among Batswana.

Meanwhile the National Prevention of Blindness Prevention Coordinator Mrs Alice Lehasa has admitted high shortage of ophthalmologists in the two referral hospitals despite receiving equipment of high quality. Scottish Livingstone as she stated is operating with one responsible for the Southern part of the county while Sekgoma memorial has five and one at Princess Marina.

Mrs Lehasa confessed that the situation was challenging and they are working on the recruitment processes. She said despite all these challenges, efforts were being made to ensure quality services for patients. 

She also highlighted plans for a three day training of six Ophthalmologists scheduled to take place at Sekgoma Memorial Hospital in the next week to familiarise themselves with the operation of the SLT Laser Machine that controls Glaucoma in a human eye. ENDS