Children receive sh250m from USAID for eye care
Nov 25, 2008
THE United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has earmarked sh250m towards identifying and treating children with sight problems.
By Ronald Kalyango
THE United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has earmarked sh250m towards identifying and treating children with sight problems.
The two-year exercise will cover Masindi, Kibaale, Hoima, Bulisa, Jinja, Iganga, Kamuli, Kaliro, Namutumba, Mayuge, Soroti, Kumi, Katakwi, Kaberamaido, Bukedea and Amuria districts.
USAID country director Ben Kayongo Male said the funds would be used to train eye specialist, to procure pediatric equipment, drugs and cater for surgery costs.
“Our overall objective is to identify mechanisms of sensitising parents about feeding their children with nutritious foods,†said Kayongo.
He noted that most people identify eye defects and seek medical attention when it is too late.
He also added that children will be given drugs, while others receive spectacles at no cost.
The international programme manager, Margaret Kasiko, said teachers have been appointed to traverse villages and visit schools to identify children with eye defects.
Last month, 75 children were treated at the Benedictine Eye Hospital in Tororo and others at Mengo Hospital in Kampala.
The Mengo Hospital director, Charles Howard, said they perform approximately 4,000 eye operations a year.
Howard said over 250,000 blind persons live in Uganda, half of whom are blind due to cataracts, a fatal eye infection.
THE United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has earmarked sh250m towards identifying and treating children with sight problems.
The two-year exercise will cover Masindi, Kibaale, Hoima, Bulisa, Jinja, Iganga, Kamuli, Kaliro, Namutumba, Mayuge, Soroti, Kumi, Katakwi, Kaberamaido, Bukedea and Amuria districts.
USAID country director Ben Kayongo Male said the funds would be used to train eye specialist, to procure pediatric equipment, drugs and cater for surgery costs.
“Our overall objective is to identify mechanisms of sensitising parents about feeding their children with nutritious foods,†said Kayongo.
He noted that most people identify eye defects and seek medical attention when it is too late.
He also added that children will be given drugs, while others receive spectacles at no cost.
The international programme manager, Margaret Kasiko, said teachers have been appointed to traverse villages and visit schools to identify children with eye defects.
Last month, 75 children were treated at the Benedictine Eye Hospital in Tororo and others at Mengo Hospital in Kampala.
The Mengo Hospital director, Charles Howard, said they perform approximately 4,000 eye operations a year.
Howard said over 250,000 blind persons live in Uganda, half of whom are blind due to cataracts, a fatal eye infection.