Statement by Mr. Aplos Nyathi – Executive Director, Zimbabwe Council for the Blind
My name is Aplos Nyathi, the Executive Director of the Council for the Blind. The Council for the Blind is a charitable organisation in Zimbabwe that is heavily involved in the prevention of blindness programmes. We are a national organisation that covers all ten provinces of the country.
Zimbabwe faces a huge cataract backlog, with close to 60,000 operable cases per year. The only solution is to increase the number of cataract surgeries performed each year in order to reduce this huge backlog. With adequate resources, patients are able to access hospital services in large numbers due to the high demand for such services.
Our approach to service delivery is through regular eye camps and outreach visits by doctors and nurses to district and provincial hospitals. Surgeries are then carried out on that basis. We are currently performing between 5,000 and 7,500 cataract surgeries per year.
Our business model is tailored to suit all levels of our communities. Patients are encouraged to contribute towards the costs of their surgeries as part of a cost-recovery model. However, those who are not able to pay are not left behind and are provided with services free of charge.
Collaboration with partners is very important. We are currently in partnership with CBM Global, Sightsavers International, OneSight Essilor, and the Government of Zimbabwe through the Ministry of Health.
Great work at Council for the Blind