Haiti - Health : Free Eye Surgical operations, Cubans in the Southwest
Unit of Ophthalmology "Operation Miracle", which was previously stationed in Gonaives, was moved by helicopter to Jérémie at the Hospital Saint-Antoine, in the department of Grand Anse [Haiti's southwest ] to serve a predominantly rural population of 425.000 inhabitants.
The surgical unit also has a clinical laboratory and instruments of Optometry. The operating room was established by Cuban specialists in under four hours and will be in service next Monday.
Dr. Jorge Casas, Head of Department of Grand'Anse of the Cuban medical brigade, stressed the importance for low-income people to obtain free eye care "We stay for three months in each department and try to assist and cover all the needs of people who come to the eye clinic as well as cases in remote areas, in mobile clinics conducted at the weekend."
During this period, the team will provide assistance in the region where there are many patients, an abundance of glaucoma and corneal foreign bodies. The eye surgeons, believe they will make an average of 75 surgeries per week of cataract and pterygium, diseases most commonly encountered.
