Slightly over 1,000 cataract patients were treated in the just concluded eye treatment campaign in South Sudan’s Aweil town of Northern Bahr el Ghazal State.
Last week thousands of cataract patients thronged the Aweil Civil Hospital for treatment with hopes of getting treated in the one-week campaign organized by the Catholic Diocese of Wau in collaboration with the Northern Bahr el Ghazal State health ministry.
The health adviser for the Catholic Diocese of Wau, Tatiana Gerber, told Radio Tamazuj last week that the team of doctors were conducting more than 100 cataract surgeries since the campaign began on 4th April 2022.
But speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Tuesday as the campaigns came to an end, Jurel Payii, Health Coordinator for the Catholic Diocese of Wau, said a huge number of patients who had turned out for the campaign, were not treated.
“The eye operations started officially on Monday last week and continued up to this week Tuesday. We targeted 1,000 blind people and today is the last day of the operations at Aweil Civil Hospital. We treated 1,016 cataract patients who were sick and their operations were successful,” Payii said.
Payii called on health partners and donors to avail funds so that the blind population in the state can get treatment.
“I am so happy I can’t even express myself,” Anei Deng Chan, one of the patients joyfully said. I thought I wouldn’t see again, all this time I have just been hearing stories, but now I can see the progress of my livestock.”
“I am still in pain since the operation yesterday and I could not see anything unless the doctors remove the bandage on my eyes. After this, I will go to prepare my farm and cultivate groundnuts and Dura for food,” Anyar Akot, another patient said.
According to reports, more than 10,000 people suffer from eye sicknesses in the greater Bahr el Ghazal State.