Cataract patients given reason to smile

Kibaha. Patients suffering from cataract have a reason to smile after a local bank paid for their treatment at Medewell Charitable Health Centre in Kibaha district, Coast Region.

NIC Bank Tanzania Limited donated Sh5.5 million to the health centre for 25 people suffering from the disease.

Medewell Health Centre started diagnosing the 37 patients who will undergo surgery. 25 patients will be treated by NIC Bank’s donation which was provided as part of the bank’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

A cataract is a condition in which the lens of an eye becomes cloudy and affects vision. Most commonly, cataracts occur in older people and develop gradually. 

Speaking at the handing over event at the weekend, NIC Bank’s Managing Director Pankaj Kansara said after sponsoring various education projects, it decided to boost the health sector. The event was attended by NIC Bank’s staff.

The patients who will undergo surgery were drawn from different regions countrywide, according to Dr Shiraz Datoo, project manager at Medewell Charitable Health Centre.

“Our Health Center provides services to the community in and around Kibaha region while many others travel from different regions across the country to access health care services,’’ he said.

72-year old Stuwart Mdika and 62-year old Ahman Said are among the 25 patients who whose bills will be cleared by the bank’s donation. They are from Tanga and Mwanza regions consecutively.

In an interview with The Citizen, Mr Mdika and Mr Said said they had been suffering from the disease for more than three years and that they were not able to foot the hospital bills to undergo surgery.