523 cases of eye defect were recorded during a campaign conducted in South Sudan’s Torit hospital last week, with cataract found to be the most common disease in the region.
Dr. Emmanuel Oryem, an eye specialist at the hospital, told Radio Tamazuj on Monday that the eye surgery team successfully operated 75 people.
He said more operations would be done in the coming two weeks.
“In the last five days of the campaign, we checked and confirmed that at least 523 people, including elders and children of all ages were operated. From the 523 people we have checked, we operated 75 of them with different types of surgery, but most of them were for cataract. This is the most common one we have done,” said Oryem.
He added, “We rushed to people who came from far places like Chuckudum, Kapoeta, Imehejek and Loronyo. 75 patients is a small number, it will even reach 100 people in the coming two weeks”.
Oryem said the team from Juba returned over the weekend, but left behind equipment that will facilitate eye treatment at the hospital.
“This is the first time we did the campaign. I heard 6-7 years ago, a campaign was done, but the current one is unique in the sense that unlike in the previous one, half of the staff who performed the operation returned to Juba and the rest remained,” said Oryem.
He added, “This time, no campaign will be done and people leave. Those who helped us went back to Juba but most of us are around”.
He assured citizens of the commitment to provide eye care services.
“Anybody with eye problems should come. I don’t want to promise we will solve all eye problems, but we will do the ones we can. The ones requiring surgery or drugs will be done. The clinic is now working and anyone with eye problems will be checked here,” said Oryem.
He urged the population, especially youth, to regularly check their eyes.
A clinic was established at the hospital during the one week campaign.