338 Residents of Manchester Receive Free Cataract Surgeries

Free cataract surgeries were performed on 338 residents of Manchester, Clarendon and St. Elizabeth from April 21 to 23, at the Mandeville Regional Hospital.

The surgeries were made possible through a collaboration between the Florida-based Mind, Body and Soul Ministry (MBSM) and the Kiran and Pallavi Patel Family Foundation. This is the fourth year of the health mission to Jamaica.

Co-founder of MBSM, Horace Morgan, said his organisation was created to make a difference in the lives of those who are underserved.

He lauded the Patel Family Foundation for not only helping with the annual Cataract Camp, but also for helping to renovate the Alexandria Hospital in St. Ann.

Mr. Morgan recalled the initial telephone contact with the Mandeville Eye Clinic, describing it as pleasant and receptive. He said his message was properly relayed to the Consultant at the Ophthalmology Department, Dr. Gavin Henry, and their subsequent conversation has led to a great relationship since then.

“They are a great team; we are always welcome. All our questions are answered and every cooperation that we need from Dr. Henry and his team – from nurses to porters and security personnel – we have got it,” he said.

Heading the overseas team was Consultant Anaesthetist, Dr. Nitin Shah, who said having been to 12 countries on some 103 missions, apart from one hospital in India that tops everyone in efficiency, the Mandeville Regional Hospital is the second most efficient place he has worked.

“We did 225 surgeries in five days, then 227 in three, then 251 in three days and now 338 in three days,” he said, chronicling the four years of the mission.

Meanwhile, Founder of the Kiran and Pallavi Patel Foundation, Dr. Kiran Patel, was full of praise for the volunteers who gave of their time.

“Everyone has the same 24 hours in a day. How you use them makes a difference. I know that everyone in this room has chosen to use their time to impact the lives of other people, change them and make them better,” he said of the team that performed the surgeries.

For his part, Regional Director of the Southern Regional Health Authority (SRHA), Michael Bent, said the region continues to be grateful for the partnership and the impact on thousands of lives.

“In many cases, these persons who receive surgeries were once breadwinners, but they had to be cared for by families who at times had to sacrifice time from work to care for them. Today, they are able to return home and make a meaningful contribution,” Mr. Bent said.

He pointed out that the market rate for the service provided over the last three days would be some $50 million.