A group of patients has just received cataract surgery at Mzimba South Hospital. They are amongst the first people to have been identified and treated for cataracts through Embangweni Mission Hospital’s community health scheme, which was has been in development for two years.
The scheme includes eye health education outreach and eye screening in schools and villages, and is resulting in big increases in patient attendance at Embangweni hospital. The Raven Trust is supporting this scheme.
Embangweni provides optical (glasses) services and some minor medical treatments but for more complex conditions like cataracts, they are able to refer patients to Mzimba South Hospital (40km away), with which they have a good working relationship. The surgeries are being sponsored by Operation Eyesight International, and The Raven Trust is paying for the patients’ travel costs.
We believe this is a good example of how hospitals and clinics can co-operate to provide improved clinical services to people in an efficient way.