By Tony Wafula
Bungoma Senator Wafula Wakoli has announced a major medical outreach targeting hundreds of residents in Bungoma County who will benefit from free eye treatment and general health services over the weekend.
The Ministry of Health reports that an estimated 7.5 million people require eye health services. A significant portion of these individuals face challenges accessing the necessary care, with barriers including cost, lack of awareness and limited access to specialised services.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) reports that vision impairment and blindness are major public health concerns in Africa, with an estimated 26.3 million people affected, including 5.9 million who are blind.
While progress has been made in reducing vision loss from conditions like Vitamin A deficiency, onchocerciasis, and trachoma, new challenges related to ageing populations, unhealthy lifestyles, and non-communicable diseases are emerging.
Addressing journalists on Friday in Bungoma town, Senator Wakoli said the free medical camps will run across two days, Saturday and Sunday, offering a range of services to residents in remote and underserved parts of the county.
The scheduled locations include Kaborom area in Mt Elgon constituency, Mayanja dispensary and Mechimeru Health Centre in Kanduyi Constituency and Sinoko dispensary in Webuye East constituency.
According to Senator Wakoli, the initiative is being carried out through a partnership between the Bungoma County health and sanitation department, the Lions club and his office.
“This initiative is part of our ongoing effort to bring essential health services closer to the people. We realized that many residents are silently suffering from treatable eye conditions simply because they cannot afford treatment or lack access to specialists,” Wakoli stated.
He noted that among the services to be offered during the two-day outreach are free eye screening, issuance of free spectacles and scheduling of eye surgeries for patients in need of corrective procedures.
During the medical camps, every patient will receive free eye screening. For those who require spectacles, they will be issued on the spot. If the demand is overwhelming, we shall take down their details and ensure they receive the spectacles within a week,” Wakoli affirmed.
The Ford Kenya senator further assured residents that no patient will be referred outside the county for surgery, noting that eye specialists are available in Bungoma to handle the corrective procedures.
“Let me assure residents that no one will be asked to travel to other regions for eye surgery; all eye surgeries will be conducted within Bungoma,” he emphasised.
The senator noted that his office is keen on expanding access to specialised healthcare, especially for marginalised communities in the hilly terrains of Mt Elgon and the interior regions of Kanduyi and Webuye East.
He also emphasised that this is just the beginning of a broader health plan aimed at decentralising health services in Bungoma County.
He appealed to residents in the targeted areas to turn up in large numbers and take advantage of the free services being offered.
“We are calling upon all residents young and old to come out in large numbers and get tested. Even if you don’t feel you have an eye problem, coming and getting screened early could save your sight,” he said.
Senator Wakoli also revealed plans to roll out similar free medical outreach programs in other constituencies within Bungoma County in the coming months, targeting other pressing health issues.
