Cataract Surgery Camp 2024

Medical Camp

Our mission is to offer a phased approach, in October we are planning a visit to Queens Elizabeth Central hospital in Blantyre, located in health zone 5 in Malawi. This teaching hospital offers tertiary care to 7 nearby districts that is populated by 3.5million people. Currently there are thought to be 1,700 people living blinded from treatable cataract within health zone 5. 

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During this visit we aim to perform 100 cataract surgeries during the first visit, and we are seeking donations of equipment, funding, and surgical consumables to reach this goal. 

 

The next phase is to secure procurement of a biometry machine and a phacoemulsification machine, and train local surgeons in this surgical technique. This will allow cataract surgery to be performed using a modern small incision technique which offers more rapid recovery. 

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Long term we aim to support the development of the vitreoretinal services, and negate the need for patients to seek surgery abroad. With no vitreoretinal operating equipment in the entire country, our vision is to source equipment and support with training for this specialist surgery. 

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Malawi is in the bottom 10% of countries in terms of cataract surgical rate[1]. This means thousands of people are living with impaired sight that is treatable. We are committed to supporting the local doctors providing eyecare in Malawi to prevent avoidable blindness and are very grateful to anything you may be able to offer.