Over 1500 people with eye complications in Kirinyaga County received free treatment and cataract surgeries during a medical camp held at Kimbimbi Sub-county Hospital.
During the three-day medical camp organized by the County Government of Kirinyaga, Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (REREC), and Kenya Society for the Blind (KSB), 36 people underwent cataract surgeries to remove clouding of the lens of the eye.
Patients were also issued with glasses, medication, and white canes for free.
Speaking during the medical camp, County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Medical Services, Public Health, and Sanitation George Karoki, blamed the rise in eye ailments in Mt. Kenya to increase in non-communicable diseases like diabetes, cancer, and hypertension.
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"This particular trend of rise in non-communicable diseases is causing a big problem of the eye. We are very grateful for this particular support from these organizations because it has helped us reach out to more people who had not gotten treatment for eye problems,” he said.
He emphasized that Governor Anne Waiguru has prioritized healthcare as one of her deliverables adding that it had informed the initiative to set up an ultra-modern eye unit at the Kerugoya County Referral Hospital.
Karoki urged residents to undergo regular eye checkups, noting that early detection and diagnosis could lead to quicker treatment and prevent further complications.