Maravi

Impact of blindness on economy worries minister

Impact of blindness on economy worries minister
By Gweny Phiri in Chingola
Wednesday June 25, 2008 [04:00]

COPPERBELT minister Mwansa Mbulakulima has said the challenge of dealing with blindness in Zambia is great. During the launch of the eye cataract project by Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) at Nchanga South Hospital in Chingola yesterday, Mbulakulima said blindness caused a great economic loss worldwide amounting to an estimated US$ 15 billon per year.

Mbulakulima said in Zambia, the burden was greater as the elderly people who were affected with cataract had taken up the responsibility of taking care of the orphans and the vulnerable children as the result of HIV/AIDS.

He said there were approximately 50 million blind people in the world and the number was currently increasing by 1-2 million each year, yet 80 per cent of the blindness was avoidable.

Mbulakulima said the challenge of dealing with cataract was that only one in every 20 people who were totally blind due to cataract went for surgery.

And KCM resident director Deb Bandyopadhyay said the company was doing everything possible to empower the local community at large.

Labels: BLINDNESS, ECONOMY, KCM

posted by MrK @ 4:09 AM