On World Sight Day 2016, we opened the Huruma Sub-County Hospital Eye Unit in Eldoret, Kenya. The Eye Unit was built by Operation Eyesight (through Standard Chartered Bank’s Seeing is Believing program) and the Uasin Gishu county government. Thanks to our donors’ generosity, we were able to equip the eye unit and provide training for an ophthalmic nurse and ophthalmic clinical officer.
On October 13, a procession of 1,500 people, led by the county governor, set out on a three-kilometre walk through Eldoret, attracting participants from nearby schools and homes along the way. By the time they reached the eye unit, a huge crowd – including representatives from Standard Chartered Bank, the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness and the Ministry of Health – had gathered for the grand opening ceremony.
In the week leading up to the event, the eye unit held a free eye screening camp. More than 1,000 people from the surrounding community were screened for vision problems, and 40 patients received sight-restoring cataract surgery. These numbers indicate the high demand for eye care services in the county.
About 4,800 people in the county are at risk of going blind, but thanks to our donors and our partners in Kenya, sight-saving treatment is within reach. Thank you!
For more photos, view our “World Sight Day 2016” album on Facebook.