The South African National Council for the Blind is proud to report that in association with the Free State Department of Health, FHC, Plascon, Vodacom Foundation, North West Province Department of Health and the Allergan Foundation, we achieved a total of 477 cataract removal operations during Eye Care Awareness Month held in October 2011.

It is with much appreciation that we acknowledge the help and support of all our funding partners. Together, we have all given the gift of sight back to close to 500 people. We had originally anticipated reaching a target of 700 people, but with the help of our funders we’ve managed to get as close to our target as we could.

Statistics prove that 80% of blindness is preventable or curable and a simple operation like these cataract removal ones does a world of difference to someone suffering from the condition who would have needlessly gone blind because they do not have the means to get the necessary eye care. Our mobile eye clinics do regular tours in far flung areas to ensure that all South Africans get access to eye care facilities.

This year, the statistics were as follows:
• The Free State with the assistance of the Free State Department of Health had 54 operations;
• Kwa Zulu Natal with the assistance of the FHC had 45;
• Mpumalanga with the assistance of Plascon conducted 171 operations across three hospitals;
• Northern Cape with the assistance of Vodacom had 79 operations in Barkley West; and,
• North West with the assistance of North West the Allergan Foundation had 128 operations in two areas.

If there’s any way your company would also like to be involved in our cataract removal blitzes, please contact Nishen Naicker at 012 452 3811 to pledge your financial support for this worthy cause.