The MEAK eye team accepted an invitation from the Hon. Mohamed Abdikheir, Member of Parliament, Mandera County to perform an eye mission in this area.
Mandera is the farthest county from Nairobi, bordering Ethiopia and Somalia. Incidents of unrest are common due to the large number of refugees and displaced persons fleeing unrest in these neighbouring countries. Medical teams rarely visit this area due to the logistical and security difficulties. However, we were reliably informed that the number of blind people seeking help was very high.
MEAK, adhering to its ‘reaching the unreached’ ethos, worked with the local community, led by Mr Abdikheir to complete one of the most successful eye missions that MEAK has ever performed.
Mission statistics:
- Outpatient review and triage: 1,881 members of the community
- Cataract surgery to restore sight: 321 cases
- Other eye surgery: 5 cases
- Eyewear dispensed:
– Easy-reader glasses: 430 pairs
– Sunglasses: 321 pairs
– Photochromatic glasses: 20 pairs - Medication dispensed:
– Eye drops, including vitamin and antibiotic eye drops: ~2000 vials - Paediatric cases:
– 9 children and their carers will be transferred to Nairobi for eye procedures that need to be carried out with anaesthesia, which will take place at the Lions Sight First Hospital, our partner hospital
This mission was highly successful and has had a significant, positive impact upon the community in Lafey, which has severely limited access to eye care, but a high incidence of cataract formation.
Encouraged by this success and having witnessed first-hand the need for quality eye care in the Lafey area, the MEAK eye team will continue to support this under-served region.