By Sylvia K
In a bid to give back to the community, Dr. Arunga Eye Hospital, in partnership with the Tooro Kingdom, Peak Vision a volunteer-run nonprofit foundation and Opportunity Bank, has launched a free medical outreach offering eye and ear treatment to underserved communities in Tooro.
According to Rwiragira Frank, the Public Relations Officer at Dr. Arunga Eye Hospital, the initiative was carried out during a medical camp held both at the hospital premises and in Kyaninga, Kabarole District over the weekend.
Rwiragira revealed that more than 170 people, including children, received treatment for various ear complications and were provided with hearing devices. In addition, several patients underwent successful cataract surgeries.
He noted that the camp was prompted by rising cases of eye complications, particularly cataracts, allergies, and hypertension-related eye diseases.
Kabajulizi Olive, the Relationship Officer at Opportunity Bank, explained that many people in the region suffer from eye conditions but lack adequate resources to seek treatment. She said that, through a partnership with Peak Vision, the main funders Opportunity Bank is offering patients accessible financing options to enable them to receive treatment and repay the funds within five to five-and-a-half years.
One of the beneficiaries, Mboijana Peter, an 80-year-old resident of Rubona Town Council in Bunyangabu District, applauded the institutions for restoring hope to elderly people like himself. Mboijana narrated that he had lived with cataracts that left him nearly blind, but after undergoing surgery during the medical camp, he can now see again.
The organizers expressed commitment to continuing similar outreaches across Tooro to ensure that vulnerable communities receive essential eye and ear care.