Lokori: Over 300 individuals with various eye conditions received free treatment at an eye care camp in Lokori, Turkana East Sub-County, on Tuesday. The event was organized by the county government in collaboration with The Fred Hollows Foundation.
According to Kenya News Agency, the Cataract Surgical Camp provided not only treatment but also included outreach programs and training sessions for Community Health Promoters (CHPs), community health extension workers, and disability programme officers. The training focused on primary eye care, case identification, and referral pathways for conditions such as cataracts, trachoma, glaucoma, and refractive errors. This initiative was additionally supported by Australian Aid.
Janerose Tioko, the Chief Officer of Preventive and Promotive Health Services, emphasized the importance of these services for the residents of Turkana, many of whom may not have the means to afford eye care. "This is a successful outreach; over 300 people attended, and 60 of them, including cataract and trachoma trichiasis patients, had corrective eye surgeries," she stated.
Tioko credited the success of the camp to the social mobilization efforts conducted beforehand, which helped reach a larger number of individuals in need. Plans are underway for three more similar camps scheduled to take place in June in Katilu (Aroo Sub-County), Lopiding (Lokichoggio Sub-County), and Suguta Sub-County.