Centre
10 February 2009
Eastern Cape Department of Health in partnership with the Fred Hollows
Foundation opened the Sabona Eye Centre at Frontier Hospital in Queenstown on 8
February 2009. The newly built Sabona Eye Centre is equipped with optometric
equipment and staffed with dedicated doctors and nurses. The centre, which is
one of its kind across the province and perhaps the country, will benefit the
needy and underprivileged community of the Chris Hani District.
The centre offers these services: general eye, retinal and vernal clinic
services; glaucoma services, cataract surgery and other minor surgeries. In
addressing the crowds the Superintendent-General (SG) for Eastern Cape
Department of Health, Mr L Boya said, âThe Eastern Cape Blindness Prevention
Programme is guided by vision 2020 which aims at increasing access of the poor
and marginalised people to quality eye care services while strengthening the
public sector delivery system to provide comprehensive eye care. Conscious
efforts are also being made to foster the integration of eye care services into
local health systems. âWe are conscious of the fact that we cannot manage to
work alone hence we forge relations with other partners as well to deliver
services to our communities,â concluded the SG.
In a selective interview conducted by the communications team, Mrs
Nomthandazo Mayekiso had this to say: âI am thankful to the Health Department
and the Fred Hollows Foundation for opening this centre, because at times
someone greets you but you do not exactly know who is greeting you. We will now
be able to benefit from these specialist services as we cannot afford private
specialists.â
Ms Pemmy Majodina, MEC for Eastern Cape, in her address tried to imagine Mr
Ceboâs life as a blind man for 20 years. âMr Ceboâs life might sound like a
fairy tale yet its real life story that reflects the experience of so many old
people who were blind but were given a miraculous gift of sight by doctors who
operated on them. I can imagine what an amazing moment it must have been for
TatâuCebo, his excitement and that of his wife not mentioning their children
when they realised that their father could see again. To him it must have been
like a whole new world having opening up in front him,â said the MEC. Mature
cataracts are widespread in the Eastern Cape and in fact in many poorly
developing countries.
âI am drawing Mr Ceboâs scenario so that you can see the commonalities
between the Eastern Cape Health Department and The Fred Hollows Foundation
purposes. Both of us have a passion for helping the poor, the marginalised and
the disadvantaged. So many people have come in through these doors with white
canes whilst others entered with the help of their friends and families but
when they leave, they leave walking tall in the knowledge that a whole new
world had opened for them. They not only leave with the ability to see again
but with their dignity and self respect restored again,â concluded Ms
Majodina.
Issued by: Department of Health, Eastern Cape Provincial Government
10 February 2009
Source: Department of Health, Eastern Cape Provincial Government (http://www.ecdoh.gov.za)
