KUCHING, Oct 8: Sarawak Health Department assures its commitment in supporting the Sarawak Eye Services to provide better services for Sarawakians throughout the state, especially in the rural areas.
According to State health director Dr Chin Zin Hing, Sarawak Eye Services to date has screened more than 20,000 patients in the rural areas throughout Sarawak, almost 7,000 of whom have successfully undergone operations, including cataract as well as pterygium operations.
“The Sarawak State Health Department will continue to intensify its efforts to encourage and support Sarawak Eye Services in it endeavor to fight preventable blindness for the people of Sarawak,” said Dr Chin in his speech when launching the World Sight Day 2020 celebration held at SMA-TEGAS Digital innovation Hub today.
Dr Chin noted, the launching of Klinik Katarak Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia (KKKKM) mobile cataract service in 2013, is not only for cataract, but also for diabetic retinopathy, refractive error and glaucoma to detect and prevent blindness to the people in the whole state, especially in the rural areas.
He said, these high impact eye services at lower cost, is also a notable achievement for the Sarawak Eye Service, because the ophthalmologist will extend their services going beyond and above for the people.
Dr Chin also pointed out that Sarawakian, especially in the rural areas and kampungs are likely to go blind in their longhouses because they are likely not diagnosed or they can’t afford to travel out to town areas in the state to get the proper eye treatment.
“However things have changed for the better even for the rural areas in Sarawak, thanks to KKKKM, an initiative by the National Ophthalmology Service of MoH.
“On top of that, the team (Sarawak Eye Services) also perform cataract operation in the district hospitals, with only a nominal fee charged, including a welfare or charity-supported intraocular lenses are offered to them,” he added. – DayakDaily
