7 April 2023

doctorSHARE Holds FREE CATARACT OPERATION in Central Button

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Another successful cataract surgery was conducted by doctorSHARE on a barge-type floating hospital, the Nusa Waluya II Floating Hospital, in collaboration with MNC Peduli and the Indonesian Ophthalmologist Association (PERDAMI). The two-day cataract event (April 04-05) was held specifically for the people of Central Mawasangka District, Central Buton, which is also the location of the Nusa Waluya II Floating Hospital.

To arrive at the port of Lanto Village, Central Mawasangka Subdistrict, the doctorSHARE maritime team had its own exciting story. Departing on February 25, 2023 from the Shipyard in Makassar, on the way to Central Buton, the world’s first barge-type Floating Hospital was hit by bad weather so it had to ‘hide’ behind Talaga Raya Island for approximately 7 hours.

When it was time to continue the journey, the ship’s anchor could not even rise, and made the team have to work extra for 12 hours, finally arriving at the service location on 27/03/2023//.

According to data from the Ministry of Health (kemkes.go.id, 2022), based on the Rapid Assessment of Avoidable Blindness survey, it is estimated that 3 out of 100 people aged more than 50 years experience blindness or around 1.6 million people and the main causative factor is cataract.

The government is targeting a 25% reduction in visual impairment by 2030 where all stakeholders including community organizations are asked to actively participate in it.

In response to this urgency, a small step that doctorSHARE and its partners can contribute is to always schedule cataract surgery in every location where the Floating Hospital is based.

“The cataract trend is most prevalent in coastal communities,” said Tutuk Utomo Nuradhy, Managing Director of doctorSHARE. “Central Buton is the fifth place we have conducted free cataract surgeries in the past 2 years with a total intervention of nearly a thousand patients,” Tutuk Utomo added.

This time, the target number of patients to be intervened is 150, according to doctorSHARE’s financing capability. Meanwhile, the enthusiasm of the community was very high, so that patients who registered for screening reached more than 400 people.

In the implementation, located at Liana Banggai Port, Lanto Village, for 2 days (April 04-05, 2023) a total of 154 patients successfully received cataract surgery and other eye intervention services.

With their eyes still bandaged with gauze after successful surgery, the patients and their families expressed their deepest gratitude and thanks.

“Later, I can go to the garden again, doctor. So far I have difficulty walking because my two eyes are blurred,” said Arsidik (57) excitedly.

Meanwhile, grandmother Aminah was very happy to be able to see her grandchildren’s faces clearly.

“I only know their names, but I can’t see their faces clearly. After this operation I will really meet my grandchildren,” said Nuriah (63) with a stammering voice.

Previously the Head of the Central Buton Health Office, Kasman expressed his appreciation to doctorSHARE and its partners for the cataract intervention and all the complete services presented by RSA Nusa Waluya II.

“People only need to show their identity cards, all general and specialist poly services as well as cataracts are provided free of charge,” said Kasman.

“On behalf of the Government and the people of Central Buton, I express my deep appreciation and gratitude to doctorSHARE, MNC Peduli, and all other parties,” explained Kasman.

For the next three months the Nusa Waluya II Floating Hospital will dock and serve the people of Central Buton in Central Mawasangka and surrounding areas.

 

 

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