Story by Abigirl Tembo, Health Editor
THE “Bright Journey” programme, a collaborative initiative between Zimbabwe and China, is bringing hope and dignity back to hundreds of Zimbabweans suffering from cataracts.
The programme, which was officially launched at the Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals in Harare this Wednesday has already begun performing free cataract surgeries and is targeting approximately 600 patients.
The Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr Douglas Mombeshora and Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Ambassador Zhou Ding, visited the hospital to witness the life-changing surgeries first-hand.
They toured the operating theatres, where a team of Chinese and Zimbabwean ophthalmologists were working tirelessly to restore vision to patients who had been living with cataracts.
“For the past five years I have had problems with my eyesight and the left one had even lost sight but thanks to the Zimbabwe and Chinese doctors, I was operated on and now I can see clearly,” a patient.
“I had problems with my eyesight but I could not afford to get my eyes checked but thanks to this programme I came for screening last week and yesterday I had my operation and today, I had the bandages removed and I can now see clearly. All this was done for free, I did not pay even a single cent,” added another.
His Excellency Zhou Ding, emphasised the significance of the programme.
“Health is not just a basic right, it is the foundation of dignity, the key to opportunities, and a prosperous life. As an old saying goes, “The eyes are the window to the soul”.
“Through the “Bright Journey” Programme, we will open those windows again for our Zimbabwean brothers and sisters who are suffering from cataracts. With the latest well-proven technology, the great skills of the Chinese and Zimbabwean medical teams, and our shared love and compassion, we will bring hope and dignity back to those who have been waiting so long to see the world again,” he said.
In an interview on the sidelines of the launch, Dr Mombeshora highlighted the programme’s sustainability.
He said, “This is the second edition of the Bright Journey programme and we are seeing improvements with each eye camp so the programme is sustainable. As you can see, this time they even brought in quite a lot of sundries and medicines to augment what we have. So they brought in quite some advanced equipment which we didn’t have. The programme is going to benefit quite a lot in terms of training our own local experts and exchange programme with also the nurses training.
“We are going to do more than 600 patients. We know the backlog is quite huge, but I think it’s a step in the right direction and this is a sustainable programme. There’s been a partnership, a twinning of Parinyatwa Group of Hospitals with Hunan Provincial Hospital and we hope this is a long-lasting relationship.”
The “Bright Journey” programme not only provides free cataract surgeries but also includes academic exchanges and training sessions for local medical personnel, ensuring that Zimbabwean healthcare professionals can continue to provide high-quality eye care services long after the programme is completed.
