Tanzania: Worrying Sight As Glaucoma Figures Scale Up
AT least 90 per cent of patients with glaucoma in Tanzania are unaware of their status on the disease because they do not attend regular eye testing, the Minister for Health, Ms Ummy Mwalimu has said She said roughly 26,400 patients which represent 6.8 per cent of people estimated to be suffering from glaucoma countrywide attended hospitals after they were diagnosed with the disease last year, a rate that she described as very low. She believes majority of people are still unaware of their status on the disease, saying it rings a worrying bell.
“I urge members of the public to use the Glaucoma Week to conduct eye testing at nearest public hospitals,” said the minister on Monday, while officiating Glaucoma Week in a speech read on her behalf by Chief Medical Officer at the Benjamin Mkapa Hospital (BMH) , Dr Afello Sichalwe.
Under the theme “The World is bright, save your sight”, this year’s Glaucoma Week, which commenced on March 7 to 12, reflects the hope that with regular testing, people continue to see the world around us: full of beauty, charm and adventure. Ms Mwalimu directed the exercise of medical check-up on glaucoma to be sustainable at public hospitals to help members of the public to know their status on the disease in order to curb the sight problem.
“All public hospitals should conduct frequent campaigns on glaucoma to help members of the public to conduct regular eye testing to curb eye problems,” said the minister.
Ms Mwalimu explained that people who are at risk of glaucoma are those aged 40 years old and above and people with family history of glaucoma.
She assured members of the public that the government in collaboration with health stakeholders would enhance infrastructure of public health facilities in order to bring health services closer in order to curb glaucoma problems. Executive Director of the BMH, Dr Alphonce Chandika, noted that at least 10.5 per cent of 5092 patients who attended Ophthalmology Clinic of the Benjamin Mkapa Hospital (BMH) last year were diagnosed with glaucoma.
“Glaucoma is the silent thief of sight because it slowly damages the eyes of people. People of 40 years and above should cultivate the habit to conduct regular eye checkups,” he said.
President of Tanzania Ophthalmology Society (TOS), Dr Christopher Mwansawa, called upon the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) to add Visual Field Testing in its coverage, saying the testing is vital for glaucoma plus monitoring progress of glaucoma patients.
The government uses Glaucoma Week to encourage members of the public to go for eye testing at hospitals across the country. BMH offers free consultation services on eye health during Glaucoma Week.
By Daily News.
