Mobile Telecommunications Limited (MTC) on Monday donated ophthalmological equipment worth N. dollars 750 000 to the Windhoek Central Hospital’s Eye Care Centre.

The donated equipment will enable the centre to treat more patients who require eye medical attention as the centre is fully booked for the rest of the year, while the waiting list is also full.

During the handover ceremony on Monday, Executive Director in the Ministry of Health, Ben Nangombe, stated that the ministry will roll out the equipment and utilise the consumables for the benefit of every Namibian patient in need.

Nangombe used the platform to thank the medical staff for their commitment and dedication to helping the public despite having to deal with a large number of patients on a daily basis, and encouraged them to continue prioritising the best interests of patients.

“The centre sees a high number of patients who have some form of visual impairment and this MTC equipment will go a long way toward assisting the centre in managing eye conditions experienced by our people. We are grateful to MTC for a goodwill act to benefit the health sector, particularly the eye care centre,” he said.

Tim Ekandjo, MTC’s Chief Human Capital, Corporate Affairs and Marketing Officer, stated that MTC is honoured to be collaborating with the health ministry, particularly the eye clinic.

“We appreciate and value the excellent work you are doing to restore our people’s vision. In the future, we will consider how we can use cutting-edge technology to aid the work of the centre,” he stated.

During the ceremony, it was revealed that an increase in vision problems among the younger population (from age 30 upwards) is being attributed to medical conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and unhealthy lifestyles, with cataract removals and refractive errors being commonly diagnosed conditions.

The eye clinic will continue to decentralise its service, with regional outreach teams holding eye camps in Caprivi, Kavango, Ohangwena, ||Kharas, Omusati, and Oshana.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency