न्यूज अभियान
हरेक खबर विशेष खबर

Community Eye Centre brings affordable eye care closer to Mustang folks
Mustang, Oct 27: Residents of Mustang district, particularly those living in remote and rural areas, are finding it easier to access affordable eye care services through the Mustang Community Eye Centre established at the Provincial Hospital in Jomsom.
Established in 2066 BS under the Prevention of Blindness Project, the Centre operates under the Nepal Eye Programme in collaboration with Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology, with financial support from the project.
According to Rumila Nepali, an Ophthalmic Officer at the Centre, more than 20,000 people have received eye examinations and related services since its establishment. 
The Centre has also facilitated cataract surgeries for more than 500 patients with the involvement of senior ophthalmologists from Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology, shared Nepali.
The Centre conducts eye examinations for around 2,000 people annually, extending services to all five local levels of Mustang, including geographically isolated settlements.
It provides eye examinations, medicines and spectacles at affordable prices, aiming to reduce preventable vision loss and restore sight wherever possible.
Cataract screening and data collection are carried out to identify patients in need of surgery, she added. 
Furthermore, annual surgical camps are organized in Charang of Upper Mustang and at the Provincial Hospital in Jomsom to serve patients from both the upper and lower parts of the district.
Officer Nepali informed that the initiative particularly benefits senior citizens and people from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, who often face difficulties travelling to hospitals outside the district for treatment.
According to her, the Centre is equipped with the necessary instruments to provide reliable eye examinations. It also conducts eye health awareness programmes for community health volunteers.
In coordination with the Centre, an Eye Treatment Clinic has been operating in Charang with support from the Sewa Foundation.
The expansion of local eye care services has helped residents save time and money while reducing the need to travel long distances to access specialized treatment.