Over 100 Reg 2 residents benefit from Govt’s eye-care programme
In keeping with the Human Services and Social Security Ministry’s goal of improving the vision of citizens unable to access assistive aid, Minister Dr. Vindhya Persaud on Monday led a team to Region 2 (Pomeroon-Supenaam) to treat residents under that Ministry’s eye-care programme.
Accompanied by Region 2 Chair Vilma Da Silva, The Human Services team went to St. Monica, an Indigenous settlement some 40 miles down the Pomeroon River from Charity, where they provided more than 70 residents with tested lenses free of cost.
Human Services and Social Security Minister Dr Vindhya Persaud addressing residents during an eye-care outreach
Residents were also informed of the various services the Ministry offers, including the services of the Childcare and Protection Agency, the Survivors’ Advocate programme, pension and public assistance, and the Women’s Innovation and Investment Network (WIIN).
This team also delivered more than 50 tested spectacles to children and pensioners within the Lima Sands community; and residents were given the opportunity to voice their concerns on a one-on-one basis to the Minister, who provided them with the necessary information to move forward.
Dr Persaud highlighted that, over the last two years, just under 3000 persons have benefitted from the services of the Difficult Circumstances Unit (DCU), which provides medical and social assistance to persons who are living in poverty, or are victims of domestic violence, or are pensioners.
A Region Two resident receiving a free pair of spectacles
Last November, through the DCU and Miracle Vision Care, some 64 residents between eight and 90 years old, who are residents of Kwakwani, Region Ten (Upper Demerara-Berbice) received spectacles for the first time at no cost to themselves. The Unit also provided wheelchairs, crutches, walking canes and hampers to persons living with disabilities in that area.
Improving eye care within remote communities remains a key issue within the Government, and the Health Ministry is also continuing its Community Ophthalmology Programme which it started last year. In addition to conducting more screening assessments by sending out mobile teams in areas where ophthalmologists are not available, the Ministry is continuing its Snap-On Spectacles Initiative — a simple innovation through which persons could get their eyes tested and receive appropriate spectacles within minutes.
Last month, Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony revealed that more than 5000 persons have thus far benefited from this programme.
