‘Thank God for Dr Ndume’

Around her are about 20 other elderly women, some lying down, some seated on their own mattresses.

It is the same scene everywhere, white eye patches on the elderly men and women, in the hospital corridors and at least four other wards designated for the sight restoration campaign.

Most of the pensioners have travelled from various and very distant villages of the region to the hospital to meet the “miracle doctor”, ophthalmologist Dr Helena Ndume.

Ndume is on a week-long sight restoration campaign at the northern hospital. Since Saturday, 241 patients have been operated on free of charge, with most of them regaining their eyesight.

Joseph has been at the hospital for the past two days, she says.

“I came here the first day of the campaign on Saturday morning with many other people to seek the doctor”;s help. Each morning at least three full buses offload here,” she said.

“I had cataract in my left eye and I couldn”;t see properly since last year. I”;ve heard of the doctor”;s campaigns of removing cataracts and restoring sights around the country. When I heard she was returning to the region, I just had to make sure I get myself registered to have my sight restored. I really thank God for the doctor. I”;ve been operated on already and I”;m ready to go home to my field and my family,” says a very pleased Joseph.

Ndume told The Namibian she has seen more than 200 people in the first couple of days of the campaign. She has been working with a team of doctors, some of them from the nearby hospitals.

“People are too many, as you can see, the wards and corridors are jam-packed with women, men and children. You know the campaign has been on hold for the past three years due to Covid-19 and now that we are back, the number of people has grown,” said the passionate doctor, as she shouted at some of her patients who were drinking a Coke.

“I told you to stop drinking Coca-Cola. That stuff is not good for your health,” she rebuked them.

SIGHT RESTORED

The campaign started off in May at Katima Mulilo in Zambezi region, then moved to Rundu in Kavango East region last month before coming to Engela hospital.

Next month, the eye camp proceeds to Oshikuku in Omusati region and in September it will be at Oshakati in Oshana region.

The doctor, who was once quoted saying “we can”;t call ourselves a progressive nation if we still have people going blind from cataracts”, maintains that cataracts in the elderly remain a big issue.

“People are growing old, they go blind because of cataracts. Most of the time, they come very late after the cataracts turn completely white and they can”;t see anything,” she said.

She says 99% of sight restoration is often guaranteed after operation.

“It is very satisfying to see the elderly getting their sight restored because that means they can return home and look after their families and do the things they love to do in their fields and homesteads and even communities,” noted Ndume.

Another ward patient is 89-year-old Heshely Namoloh of Ouhongo village.

“I”;m here because I don”;t want to go blind. My right eye couldn”;t see, all I saw was darkness. I was scared I would completely lose my sight, but the doctor has saved my life. I wouldn”;t be able to do anything around my homestead had I lost my sight completely. We want God to bless our good doctor for doing this completely free of charge. As you can see, we”;re many here, all having the same problems with our eyes,” said Namoloh.

Since the beginning of these campaigns a few years ago, Ndume has helped restore the sights of more than 30 000 people.

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