Free Cataract Surgeries of 3000 Poor Patients

Please accept our warmest greetings all the way from Balakot.

As part of Al-Mustafa Welfare Society's Eye Campaign, a Free Eye Camp was held at Ghanool, Tehsil Balakot of District Mansehra, Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa Pakistan.

Objectives

• Provision of Free Cataract Surgeries to the poor and underprivileged people living in Pakistan's urban and rural areas who don't have access to affordable eye care services.
• To provide medical eye care services to eliminate avoidable blindness in underdeveloped country areas.
• To create awareness of eye care services for the elimination of blindness.

The Campsite: Ghanool, Balakot

Ghanool Village is located in the Tehsil Balakot of District Mansehra of the Hazara Division of KPK. It lies in the area that witnessed massive destruction in the 2005 Kashmir Earthquake. 

Al-Mustafa's  Eye Campaign Team selected the campsite Government Boys Secondary School, Ghanool Balakot, coordinating Al-Mustafa's local network and the feedback from the local community. To facilitate a significant number of beneficiaries, we need to reach out to the maximum number of people. For that purpose, we sought support from the Primary Eye Care Centers in the area, government health institutions, local administration, schools etc., for the advertisement and to make the campsite easily assessable for the majority of the patients in the community.

Statistical Summary:

1. Total Beneficiaries 475
2. Total Cataract Surgeries 101
3. Total Hepatitis-C Positive 0

Our Team

The team for the Eye Camps consists of 3 Ophthalmologists and 14 other technical staff. Local volunteers from schools and other social workers are also encouraged to participate.

The Camp

The Eye Camp was conducted for two days, from 6th to 7th September 2021. A total of 475 patients was examined, and 101 Cataract Surgeries were performed at the campsite. Patients who required eye care treatment other than cataract surgery were also given necessary treatment and medicines at the same site. All these services were provided entirely free of cost.

All cataract patients were operated on using Small Incision Cataract Surgery procedure with Intraocular Lens (IOL) implantation after calculating IOL power, using biometry. Operated patients were discharged with required medicines, a pair of sunglasses and counselling for postoperative care. Patients were found satisfied with a better vision.

Postoperative Follow-ups

After one month, postoperative follow-ups were done by Ophthalmic Assistants of the respective primary eye care centre in the vicinity.

Hepatitis C-Investigations

Apart from providing Eye Care Services, we also conduct Free Hepatitis-C investigations, and the positive cases are referred for further treatment. 

We will continue to send more campsite reports in the coming days.

Links:

• Find Al-Mustafa Welfare Society on Google