Malawi is facing a race against time to cure 12, 000 patients made blind from preventable illnesses.
Ministry of Health officials acknowledge the country was grappling with an artificial blindness problem, but say efforts were being made to reverse the situation.
Joseph Msosa, Chief Eye Specialist in the Ministry of Health, said the common form of blindness was that coming as a result of cataract, a health condition that, if untreated, leads into total blindness. It can, however, be reversed through eye surgery.
“We currently have 20, 000 people who are blind as a result of this condition, of which we have only been able to operate on 8, 000. We don’t have the necessary financial resources to operate on the remaining 12, 000,” said Msosa.
This means countless more days of no sight for people who deserve nothing more but sight.
Other unconfirmed reports indicate that there may be more than 100, 000 people with cataract, but too much reliance of Health Surveillance Assistants means many more people suffering from the condition remain unaware that they can be cured.