Vision centre opens at Solwezi hospital

—North-western Province Permanent Secretary, Augustine Seyuba, says visual loss has a tremendous economic impact on individuals, families and entire nation, especially for a developing country like Zambia, where social safety net is not fully developed.

Mr Seyuba says it is, therefore, gratifying to note that Zambia is on course with the vision 2020 of achieving the right to sight initiative whose aim is to reduce avoidable blindness.

He was speaking in Solwezi yesterday during the launch of the 7^th Vision centre at Solwezi General Hospital spearheaded by the Vision Aid Oversees.

Mr Seyuba said government is committed to ensuring the provision of quality health care services as close to the people as possible, adding that as a member of the world health assembly it recognizes the need to eliminate all causes of preventable blindness in the country.

He urged management at Solwezi General Hospital to guard the facility jealously and ensure that it remains sustainable within the local resources.

Speaking at the same occasion, Vision Aid Oversees Country Program Director, Karen Edwards, said statistics have shown that a quarter of the Zambian population have sight problem.

Ms Edwards said it is for this reason that Vision Aid Oversees intends to open vision centres across the country to help address this challenge, adding that the centres are an integral part in the provision of quality eye care services to the people.

And Orbis Africa Country Coordinator, Generous Mukanga, said the opening of the vision centre at Solwezi General Hospital is a milestone in the province as it will contribute to the provision of quality eye care services, thereby reducing blindness.

Mr Mukanga said the facility will act as a referral centre which will ease the cost burden on eye patients who travel long distances to access specialist eye care services outside the province.