The Ministry of Health on Monday August 11th welcomed a 10-member Chinese ophthalmology team on the island to perform free cataract surgeries to Dominicans from August 11th to 22nd, 2014.
Surgeries are being performed on patients at the Princess Margaret Hospital with the support and collaboration of the island’s ophthalmology team headed by Dr. Hazel Shillingford-Ricketts, Consultant Ophthalmologist.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry Of Health, Helen Royer, highlighted that this is a result of the meaningful friendship between the Governments of Dominica and the People’s Republic of China.
“We have had quite a bit of support in the past in different areas in health- vehicle donations and staff support. This time we’re hosting an ophthalmology team. We actually have on island, three ophthalmologists, three nurses, one ophthalmology engineer, the programme officer, an interpreter and an anesthesiologist. We also have our own ophthalmology team for collaboration.”
All eye care equipment being used will be donated to the Government of Dominica at the end of the mission.
Royer noted that about 95 cataract patients from across the island were recommended by the ophthalmologist to undergo priority surgery.
