The county government of Kirinyaga has launched a free surgical eye camp at Kerugoya County Referral Hospital, set to run for one week and conclude on March 28.
The initiative, organized in partnership with Pankaj Social Services, is providing free eye screening, medication, surgeries, and follow-up care to patients until full recovery.
Pankaj Social Services is a Non-Governmental Organization with a mission to empower communities through education, healthcare, and holistic development.
Within the first three days, more than 700 residents had been screened. Those requiring specialized treatment have been referred for surgical procedures with over 100 patients successfully undergoing free cataract surgeries and pterygium excision.
Cataracts are characterized by cloudy areas in the eye lens that impair vision, while pterygium is a raised, fleshy, triangular growth that develops from the corner of the eye.
Kirinyaga County Executive Committee (CEC) Member for Medical Services, Public Health, and Sanitation, George Karoki, stated that the week-long exercise aims to reach between 3,000 and 4,000 residents.
“This initiative is part of the county’s efforts to address the rising cases of eye-related complications linked to non-communicable diseases. The outreach includes free screening, treatment, surgeries, and follow-up care,” said Karoki.
He emphasized that the program aligns with the county’s broader strategy to strengthen primary healthcare and reduce disease burden at the community level. Kirinyaga continues to record a high prevalence of non-communicable diseases, such as diabetes and hypertension, which often contribute to eye complications.
“Kirinyaga County has a significant number of non-communicable disease cases, and conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure frequently lead to eye problems such as cataracts,” he noted.
Karoki added that the outreach is being conducted across sub-counties to identify patients requiring specialized care and refer them to the referral hospital for surgery.
“That is why we have taken this deliberate step to promote early screening and treatment, ensuring that residents do not progress to severe eye conditions,” he said.
Camp Manager, Gurpreet Singh, from Pankaj Social Services reported steady progress in the exercise and urged residents to take full advantage of the free services. He also highlighted that many eye conditions go untreated due to limited awareness and lack of regular check-ups.
“Many people neglect their eye health due to age, environmental factors such as dust, or simply lack of awareness. This is why regular eye check-ups are very important,” he said
By Mutai Kipng’etich
