Kisumu County has rolled out a free cataract surgery programme targeting thousands of residents at risk of preventable blindness, citing years of under-investment in eye care services.
County Director of Medical Services, Dr. Don Sunday Ogolla, said the initiative seeks to expand access to treatment in a county where eye care has largely remained inaccessible to many.
“The current cataract and eye health situation in Kisumu is not very good. For many years, the health system has not put enough resources into eye care,” said Dr Ogolla.
He noted that eye services have historically been offered at the regional level rather than within local health facilities, leaving many patients without timely intervention.
Cataract is a leading cause of blindness in Kenya, contributing about 43 per cent of all cases.
Nationally, blindness prevalence stands at about 0.7 per cent, with counties such as Kisumu recording higher unmet need due to limited screening and treatment.
Findings from previous medical camps in the area point to a heavy local burden. In one outreach in Kombura, Nyando Sub- County, about one in three people screened were diagnosed with cataracts.
Dr. Ogolla said structural gaps dating back to the advent of devolution have compounded the challenge.
“When counties were established, the main eye care referral centre was in Sabatia, now in Vihiga County. Kisumu has therefore operated without a dedicated eye health facility,” he said.
At present, only Kisumu County Referral Hospital and Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) conduct cataract surgeries, with just two surgeons serving a population of about 1.3 million.
“We only have two centres that can manage cataract, and only two surgeons. That cannot meet the demand,” he said.
To bridge the gap, the county has partnered with private and international organisations to scale up services through outreach camps and referrals for surgery at Bloom Surgical Center.
Under the programme, the county will handle community mobilisation and screening, with patients referred for operations.
All services, including surgery, transport and follow-up care, will be offered free of charge.
The initiative is supported by the Noor Dubai Foundation, a United Arab Emirates-based non-profit organisation that provides funding, equipment and technical expertise to combat preventable blindness.
Patients are currently being identified through awareness campaigns and screenings conducted during eye camps across sub-counties.
The programme, he said, has been extended to June to allow more residents to benefit.
Dr. Ogolla said the county expects the initiative to significantly reduce cases of preventable blindness, although logistical challenges such as limited space at surgical centres remain a concern.
“We may open up county facilities if the numbers overwhelm the current centre,” he said.
He added that cataracts, alongside refractive errors and glaucoma, remain the leading causes of vision loss in the county, with many cases going undiagnosed.
“In a population of about 1.3 million, many residents are living with cataract-related blindness. Our medical camps continue to reveal numerous undiagnosed cases,” he said.
The county, he said, is also working towards equipping health facilities across all sub-counties to handle eye surgeries as part of a long-term sustainability plan.
Dr. Ogolla urged residents to seek early medical attention for eye problems and take advantage of the ongoing outreach programme.
“The eye is as important as any other organ. Seek medical care as soon as you notice symptoms to prevent complications,” he said.
By Dorothy Pamella and Obed Atinga
