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Eye Screening in St. Elizabeth June 3-7

By: , May 31, 2013

The Full Story

Screening will be conducted under the Jamaica/Cuba Eye Care Programme (JCECP), at several health facilities in St. Elizabeth, between June 3 and 7, beginning at 9:30 a.m.

Persons will be screened for cataracts, pterygium (fleshy growth on the eye), and diabetic eye disease.

The tests will be done at the Balaclava Health Centre on June 3; Lacovia Health Centre, June 4; Black River Health Centre, June 5; Southfield Health Centre, June 6, and the Junction Health Centre, June 7.

“Persons are asked to visit the health centres prior to the screening dates to pre-register,” stated Co-ordinator of the JCECP, Gregory Thomas, in an interview with JIS News.

Mr. Thomas noted that no screening will take place at the National Chest Hospital in Kingston, during the period June 3 to 7.

“The public is advised that the programme is not in a position at this time to provide assistance to persons seeking treatment for conditions not listed, nor those seeking treatment for children. Persons are also asked to take along a referral from a public health facility and a valid identification (passport, driver’s licence, national ID, or a certified passport size photograph with TRN),” he said.

The Co-ordinator said persons selected through the screening process will be asked to provide two contact telephone numbers.

He pointed out that the public will receive notification on other upcoming screening sessions, and that persons can get more information at the health centres, at the offices at 948-0017/ 924-9287, or by email: jacubaeyecare@moh.gov.jm.

Since the inception of the Jamaica/Cuba Eye Care Programme in January 2010, over 17,500 persons have been screened for cataracts, pterygium and diabetic eye disease at over 50 locations across the island.

Just under 5,000 surgeries have been performed on approximately 4,000 persons, with cataract removal accounting for over 50 per cent of the surgeries. The Ophthalmology centre based in Kingston, has received more than 44,000 since 2010.

“I want to remind members of the public that the services offered by the Jamaica/Cuba Eye Care Programme are free to all. Persons who have been previously screened, but are awaiting appointments need not visit the screening sessions slated for St. Elizabeth in June. They should instead await a call from our programme officer to inform them of their appointment date. If any of our current patients have changed their telephone numbers since registering under the programme, they should call our office to update their records,” Mr. Thomas said.

Contact: Garfield L. Angus

Last Updated: July 29, 2013

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