First Patients

This post is by Michael Were, Manager of OHI.

It takes a lot of people to bring a project like this together, and to provide a solution to the many reasons why people don’t receive the surgery they need.

For many it is as simple as not being able to afford a bus fare to get to the hospital. Normally cataract surgery is a day-surgery procedure, and the next day you will need to see the surgeon for a check-up to make sure everything is okay. If you cannot afford one bus fare, you are certainly not going to be able to get there and back on two successive days!

The answer? An innovative approach by our Hospital friends, and our accommodation friends at Waterworld. If patients cannot get home, a dormitory facility is provided free of charge for the patient and a family member. The Hospital van provides the transport to Waterworld, and they provide nursing care overnight in case of a problem. Most importantly it provides a program of total care and gives people back their sight!