Cataract patients to receive treatment free of charge

Cataract patients waiting for their turn for preoperative assessment at Prince Régent Charles Hospital

Preoperative assessment of cataract patients to be operated by a team of specialised Chinese ophthalmologists has started this 23 November at Prince Régent Charles Hospital.

The operations proper will be carried out in two stages. Thaddée Ndikumana, the spokesman of the Ministry of Health said 200 of the 334 patients that have been identified will be treated by the Chinese doctors in the first stage.

Pamphile Bukuru, in charge of information, education and communication in the ministry of health, says the Chinese will leave their equipment with Burundian Doctors who will perform surgery on the remaining patients in the second stage when they finish their work.

The operations will be free of charge and carried out within the framework of the campaign “Marche vers la Lumière” funded by China via its Embassy in Burundi.

The spokesman of the Burundian Ministry of Health says the team of Chinese specialists will be made of 18 doctors who will use equipment provided by China.