The population of the beautiful islands of Pemba (Tanzania) and Zanzibar benefited from a Free Cataract Surgery Camp held between 7th August 2008 and 10th August 2008. Two separate groups of doctors and volunteers targeted patients who were unable to afford the cost of cataract surgery and needlessly suffered from blindness due to cataracts.
After the conduction of the Eye Camp was announced, patients started to arrive from all over Tanzania. Some patients arrived after arduous journeys by boat from far-away islands such as Tumbatu, North Zanzibar. With the assistance of the regional hospitals in Zanzibar and Pemba, prospective patients were screened by an ophthalmologist prior to the arrival of the eye surgeons. In order to minimize the risk of the operation and make sure that the patient was physically able to go through surgery, patients who were selected for participation in the Eye Camp underwent pre-operation checkups at the hospital. Blood pressure and blood sugar levels were checked and all patients underwent examinations for chest conditions.
During two days of continuous surgery at each camp, 48 and 54 free cataract surgeries were performed in Zanzibar and Pemba respectively. Of the total of 102 surgeries, 60 were kindly assisted by Lady Fatema Trust, UK.
These camps are very much appreciated, not only by the patients, but also by the regional authorities, who give their full co-operation and support during the duration of the camps.
The final tally was as under:
Total Cataract surgeries performed at the Eye Camp in Pemba and Zanzibar
|
Location |
Gender |
Kind |
Total |
||
|
M |
F |
Unilateral |
Bilateral |
||
|
Zanzibar |
25 |
23 |
38 |
10 |
48 |
|
Pemba |
37 |
17 |
47 |
7 |
54 |
|
Total |
62 |
40 |
85 |
17 |
102 |
Cataract Surgeries performed with LFT funding at the Eye Camp in Pemba and Zanzibar
|
Gender |
Kind |
Total |
||
|
M |
F |
Left Eye |
Right Eye |
|
|
38 |
22 |
26 |
34 |
60 |
Dear LFT donors: $ 60 (30 GBP) gives a poor person the gift of sight. Patients not only are able to see again, more important, they are no longer a burden on their families. Instead, they will again be productive and useful members of society who actively take part in economic and family life. Each "gift of sight" is a gift to a whole family and even to the community at large.
The need for cataract surgery remains great in rural African communities where people work out of doors and are frequently afflicted with cataracts due to constant exposure to sunlight. Most people survive at subsistence level and the cost of cataract surgery is way beyond their means. Please, donate generously so that LFT will be able to hold more eye camps in the future.
Give As You Earn:
Islamic Humanitarian Service:
Comfort Aid International:
To make a regular donation by standing order, please download a mandate from the website or contact us and we will send one to you. http://www.ladyfatemahtrust.org/donate.php . You can make a donation by using our secure on-line payment facility at https://secure.webstar.co.uk/lft/donate.php .
Please remember that completing a Gift Aid form substantially boosts your donation by 28% if you are a UK taxpayer.
Thank you, as always for all your generosity and support without which our work would not be possible.
Yours sincerely,
Amirali G. Karim
Chairman of the Board of Trustees
http://www.ladyfatemahtrust.org/
Tel: +44 (0) 7798 76 10 20
Tel +44 (0) 1494 762 063, Email info@ladyfatemahtrust.org, Fax +44 (0) 1494 762 286,
Mobile +44 (0) 7798 76 10 20, Fax +44 (0) 7798 76 90 30
Website: http://www.ladyfatemahtrust.org/
