Dr. Ezekwo donates much-needed equipment to Namibian Ministry of Health official.

Namibian trip another very successful mission

Sight restored to more than 200 Namibians during June 2000 eye camp

    Thanks to the wonderful volunteer ophthalmic surgeons, nurses, and technicians who joined us in our efforts, we were able to treat more than 1,000 patients and restore vision to more than 200 Namibian residents! Our gratitude goes out to Dr. Helena Ndume; Dr. Annette D'Souza; Dr. Jack and Mrs. Geri Kabak; Dr. Jose Mugica and wife, Dr. Maria Eugenia Nano; Dr. Paul Casey; Sergeant Michael Callahan III; Dr. Alfredo Amigo Rodriguez and wife, Mercedes Frances Pons; and Dr. Luis Arevalo Arevalo. Because each of these generous people volunteered their time and skills, our June mission to Namibia was a great success!
      And thanks to the many donations of big-hearted people everywhere, we were able to gather and donate to the Namibian people hundreds of boxes of supplies and much-needed equipment. But that's not all that made our trip memorable. Before we began seeing patients, we attended the ceremonious launch of the eye camp. It was a heartwarming ceremony that provided us with a lifetime of memories!

Hearts were touched during the launch ceremony.
       Members of the Namibian Ministry of Health and the Governor of Oshana Region were on hand to welcome us during the launch of this year's eye camp in Namibia. They gave thanks for our services in prayer and song. The charming young people of the Namibian Youth Choir overwhelmed us with their beautiful voices. First, they sang their national anthem, then a special tribute to us in English that repeated the words, "Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you..." It was a gesture that truly touched our hearts.
      During the ceremony, Dr. Ezekwo made our donations of supplies and equipment official. After a brief message to the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Health and the people of Namibia, she handed the items over to the smiling and grateful Ministry of Health official. Afterward, there was more singing, heartfelt welcoming speeches, and prayer presented in Namibian and English. Then it was time to start seeing patients.

A cross-eye patient prior to surgery...

Another cross-eye patient showing the results of her surgery. Part of Dr. Ezekwo's goal during her Namibian visit was to help children who needed operations to mend crossed eyes and similar problems.

The eye clinic got underway.
     The Namibian eye camp ran for five days - from June 12 through 16 - in Oshakati, a town in northwest Namibia. Patients lined the walls of the clinic as they patiently waited for care.
     Assisted by local physicians and health care workers, we worked from sunup 'til sundown evaluating conditions, performing hundreds of cutting-edge cataract surgeries, and providing much-needed care to our Namibian patients. We also spent time training local eyecare professionals in the use of the new equipment we had donated to the clinic. They learned quickly, and we know they'll be putting their new skills to great use for years to come!
     Everything ran like clockwork. The only hitch was that some of our equipment didn't arrive until halfway through the camp. Even so, we moved forward as planned. Our only regret is that we weren't able to restore sight to more people. We're sure to do it next time!
     In conjunction with free eye care services, we hosted a much-needed Cataract Prevention Campaign, handing out more than 1,000 pairs of sunglasses, hats, and visors to local residents, and enough multivitamins to provide a 30-day supply to each patient we treated during this year's eye camp. It is the lack of these most basic of tools to protect against the sun's harmful rays that contributes to the high incidence of early cataracts and blindness in Namibia. It is our hope that such campaigns will help spread the word about the importance of wearing sunglasses and hats with brims, and the significance of taking multivitamins. We plan more such campaigns for the future.

Why do we do what we do?
      Of the estimated 1.7 million residents of Namibia, more than 16,000 are blind. Of these, more than 80% of blindness is due to cataracts. That means about one in every 100 Namibians suffers some form of partial or full blindness!
     These numbers are extremely high, especially when compared to those of the U.S.,

Dr. Amigo with patient and Dr. Ndume.

where it's estimated that of 275 million Americans, only about 1.6 million are legally blind. A major contributing factor to this statistical gap is that residents of the United States can readily find adequate eye care around almost every corner. In Namibia, a total of only five ophthalmologists serve the entire country! Plus, there's only one fully equipped eye care facility, and that's in the capitol of Windhoek, which is a mighty long walk for many underprivileged Namibians.
     We set out to change this picture. Our goal is to prevent and reverse blindness in Namibia and other developing countries and to increase the opportunity for the underprivileged everywhere to receive advanced eye care. Since our group's inception in 1998, we've experienced tremendous growth and success. But we couldn't have done it without you! With your continued help, our plan to raise awareness in Namibia and the world about the need for better eye care through our eye camps is sure to be achieved.

What's in store for the future?
      We've scheduled several eye camps for 2001 see the - Calendar of Events - starting with a mission to Peru, and we will continue to tackle tough issues in ophthalmology. We'll also host Cataract Prevention Campaigns, which include sight-saving giveaways. But to do this, we need your donations! Contact us at (718) 733-5730 or by e-mail at iezekwo@globaleyecare.org about donating your time, skills, services, supplies, equipment, pre-owned eyeglasses, and more.
      You can look forward to reading about upcoming missions in the future issues of Global Visions. To find out how you can become a volunteer, contact us today!