by Kevin Amito
In June 2022, St. Mauritz health Centre III in partnership with “Better Vision” Foundation which is headed by Dr. Gerl carried out eye surgeries especially cataracts. Over 500 people were able to have better vision since most of them were blind. The patients who were operated were excited that they could now see very well without any obstacle. The German Ophthatomologist and German Nurses also were grateful for having an impact on the lives of the community of Obiya Palaro, Gulu city, Northern region and the whole Uganda because some patients were from the central region.
Due to the overwhelming number of people who turned up in the first eye surgical activity, this motivated Dr. Gerl and St. Mauritz Health Centre III Team to organize for another surgical activity which started on the 17/4/2023 and it will end on 11/5/2023.
When the dates were confirmed by Dr. Gerl, the team of the health Centre organized for planning meetings on how the surgical activity would be implemented. Community outreaches was done to mobilize the community people from different areas like Adilang, Anaka, Amuru and others. Many numbers of people were screened and also booked for carrying out the operation.
Mobilization was done at the local level through church announcements, radio announcements and social platforms.
For the past days so far 64 cataracts have been removed and this has impacted positively on the patients who were worked on. Most of the patients came when gloomy due to worry of their eye conditions but after the operation their faces are full of joy and excitement that they are able to walk without their sticks and able to see clearly without straining their eyes to read or see in a long distance. Our hope is by the end of the surgical activity, 300 community members will be able to regain their sight and be a living testimony.
