By CHARITY MOONGA –
THERE is need for skilled human resource to increase access to eye care for Zambia, eye specialist Ganesh Subramaniam has said.
Speaking in Lusaka to mark World Sight Day, Dr Agarwal’s Eye Hospital country director, Dr Subramaniam said improved access to eye care would help fight blindness which affects about  150, 000 Zambians.
“Providing access to eye healthcare services for up to 13 million Zambians is a challenge and the government needs support to address blindness. There is need to train our local personnel, improve the capacity for eye care facilities to provide a full range of services locally,” he said.
He said in line the World Health Organisation’s Vision 2020 targets, Zambia had the capacity to step up its efforts to reduce blindness.
“Up to 80 percent of all cases of blindness are preventable or reversible and through investment in training of human resource and facilities, blindness in Zambians can be addressed.
“Through its facility, Dr. Agarwal’s Eye Hospital is training local staff to scale up their skills and ensure that they can support the Zambian Government in addressing blindness,” he said.
Dr Agarwal’s Eye Hospital beginning yesterday started performing 50 free cataract surgeries at its facility in Lusaka and the exercise will go on until October 24th.
The initiative is part of the hospital’s support for the Zambian Government as well as its commitment to uplifting members of communities countrywide.
He said it was sad that many people had continued to turn blind as a result of avoidable blindness.
Dr Subramaniam said his organisation had joined the rest of the world in celebrating World Sight Day under the theme, “No More Avoidable Blindness.”