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[File photo] Cataracts eye surgery.
The Gauteng Department of Health says it is working hard to reduce a growing eye care backlog, with more than 9000 patients currently waiting for treatment.
The department launched a special cataract surgery marathon at Pholosong Hospital in Tsakane, east of Johannesburg.
Cataracts are common among the elderly and people living with diabetes. The department says this initiative aims to help restore sight to visually impaired people.
This was a truly life-changing moment for more than 160 Gauteng patients seeking eyesight restoration due to cataracts. The journey started on Thursday with pre-screening, where doctors assessed patients and prepared them for surgery. For many of the elderly people, cataract surgery is not just a medical procedure; it is a second chance at life.
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“I’m very happy that I will finally be able to see my grandchild. It has been a long time. I would like to thank the department for giving us this opportunity,” says a patient.
“Living without sight has been very difficult. I’m excited about the surgery. At first, I was scared, but now I feel hopeful,” says another patient.
“I feel grateful for this initiative by the government. It encourages people to go for check-ups. When the hospital called to say they would help restore my eyesight, I was overjoyed,” adds another patient.
Pholosong Hospital Acting CEO, Dr Trudy Tsumele, says they’ve started performing as many surgeries as possible, tackling a huge backlog, but at the same time, bringing hope and dignity to those who have been on the long waiting list.
“We also make sure that we restore vision for our patients. This marathon is part of a bigger structure that is trying to reduce all of the backlog in our province. We are really trying to create a service that is going to be not only efficient but also timely. You don’t want to wait long if you need an operation. Doing surgical marathons like this speeds up the turnaround time for our patients, so that we prioritise their needs and their health needs are met on time,” adds Dr Tsumele.
Programme manager for eye health at the Gauteng Department of Health, Virginia Mawela, has assured patients that the procedure, which takes about 30 minutes, is safe and effective in restoring eyesight.
“So we are covering Thelle Mogoerane patients, and over this last weekend, Thelle Mogoerane managed to treat 73 patients. Here, we are aiming at 100. So you shouldn’t be surprised that the target is 160. We might reach 180 patients done by Monday when we discharge them. This means sight restored. It means dignity restored. It means some important person can see again. It’s amazing,” says Mawela.
Next Monday, patients will remove their bandages and see clearly for the first time in years.
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