PHOTO: Dr. Jonathan Flomo
By Emmanuel Mafelah, mafelahemmanuel29@gmail.com
GBARNGA, Liberia- Bong County Health Team officer, Dr. Jonathan Flomo has lauded the Samaritan’s Purse for the latest phase of its sponsored Free Eye Surgery Outreach program; a program aimed at improving the quality of life of the beneficiaries by restoring their vision through surgical intervention.
Recently, more than 350 people in Bong County benefitted from the initiative. It’s a partnership with the New Sight Eye Center and the Ministry of Health.
The program is a commitment to taking care of the health needs of the people of Liberia.
He was speaking in an interview with a local radio station (Paraclete 93.7MHz) on Saturday May 8, 2021 in Gbarnga,
Dr. Flomo said that the partnership between Samaritan Purse, the New Eye Center and the Ministry of Health is no doubt a beneficial one, and they have made it an annual mission to reach out to those who are affected by cataract and glaucoma in their early stages before they become complicated and more difficult to remedy.
“This latest humanitarian gesture by Samaritan’s Purse sponsored Free Eye Surgery Outreach program worth commending for example, about 350 patients were operated on and it was a success story in the Count,: the Bong County Health Officer added.
According to him, sight restoration and prevention of blindness have become the most considered and cost-effective interventionist strategies in the healthcare system.
Dr. Flomo said: “Clouded vision caused by cataracts can make it more difficult to read, drive a car especially at night or see the expression on a friend’s face.”
Most cataracts develop slowly and don’t disturb your eyesight early on but with time, cataracts will eventually interfere with your vision.
“At first, stronger lighting and eyeglasses can help you to deal with cataracts but if impaired vision interferes with your usual activities, you might need cataract surgery. Fortunately, cataract surgery is generally a safe, effective procedure.”
He noted that over 80 per cent of visual impairment is preventable as they could be treated.
Dr. Flomo assured that government will ensure that partnership between government and the non-governmental organizations continues, pointing out that the medical team from the New Eye Center consists of highly qualified surgeons.
For his part, the founder and executive director of New Sight Eye Center, Robert Dolo told said that the main objective of the program was to restore and save the sight of the needy, adding that efficient healthcare delivery is highly paramount to the organization.