Celebrating World Sight Week, the Zambia Flying Doctor Service (ZFDS) has made significant strides in promoting eye health among children in Ndola,Copperbelt Province under the Theme “Love your eyes kid”.

The outreach program included comprehensive eye screenings at Masala Primary School, Nkwazi Primary School, and the Lions School for the Blind, benefiting a total of 628 children.

The day began at Masala Primary School, where over 200 pupils received vital eye screenings.

Ophthalmologists from ZFDS identified several cases of bacterial conjunctivitis, advising affected pupils to visit the ZFDS clinic for treatment.

This initiative underscores ZFDS's commitment to early detection of vision problems and prevention of avoidable blindness.

The team uncovered cases of bacterial infections and allergic conjunctivitis, educating pupils on proper hygiene practices to mitigate these issues.

A touching moment arose when an eight-year-old girl pupil from the school shared her experience of using anointing oil in her eyes for treatment,highlighting the importance of professional medical advice.

The screenings ended at the Lions School for the Blind, where ZFDS screened 83 children from the total above.

During this outreach, the team observed that some children enrolled as blind actually had cataracts that could be treated.

Ms.Rose Masuku, a Medical ophthalmologist, revealed that ZFDS is working on obtaining consent from families to enable these children to undergo surgical operations and restore their vision.

Others screened at the Lions School were found to have various eye diseases, for which they received medications and glasses for short and long-sightedness.

Unfortunately, some children were diagnosed with glaucoma, a condition that cannot be reversed, resulting in permanent blindness.

“This outreach is about more than just screenings; it’s about giving children the chance to see a brighter future,” said Ms.Masuku. “We are determined to work with families to restore sight wherever possible and provide necessary care for all eye conditions identified.”

ZFDS is dedicated to improving eye health and ensuring that every child has the opportunity for a healthy future.

The joy and gratitude reflected on the children’s faces were evidence of the positive impact this outreach has had.

#LoveYourEyesKid #WorldSightWeek