Nkhoma Mission Hospital has revealed that more than one percent of Malawi’s population is blind, with cataracts accounting for nearly 40 percent of the cases.

The hospital’s Cataract Surgeon, Dr. Wells M’voma, said the burden mainly affects elderly people living in rural areas, and the growing backlog of cases is largely due to limited cataract surgical services in district hospitals across the country.

He made the remarks on Thursday in Thyolo, where the Islamic Health Association of Malawi (IHAM), in partnership with Nkhoma Mission Hospital, concluded a four-day free eye surgery camp that targeted 100 patients.
The initiative was supported by the International Humanitarian Relief Organization and AFAQ Trust.

“We know that a blind person cannot contribute to the development of the country. The people we helped this week included farmers and civil servants who had stopped working because of their condition and became poorer,” he said. “The backlog of cases is due to limited surgical services offered for cataracts in the country.”

He added: “This is a very big problem, and in every district we visit, we find hundreds of people with cataracts.”

Dr. M’voma disclosed that the camp managed to conduct surgeries on more than 115 patients. He further attributed the rise in cataract cases to aging and persistent misconceptions that eye conditions cannot be treated surgically.

The  (IHAM) Executive Director, Hajj Daitoni has emphasized the urgent need for improved eye care among Malawians, saying poor eye hygiene is contributing to the rise in cataract cases in the country.

Daitoni said although cataracts are widely known to be age-related, many people are developing the condition earlier due to neglect and lack of proper eye hygiene.

“Cataract is a very big probe in Malawi. We have conducted camps but we always have a lot of people looking for help. Mostly, the problem is associated with poor hygiene of eyes and also ageing,’ he said.

One of the beneficiaries, Laston Tsabola from Matekenya Village, Traditional Authority Mbawera, said he struggled for two years due to the condition, which halted his ability to provide for his household.

“My life completely changed. I could not work in the garden or support my family. But after this surgery, I feel like I have been given a second chance,” said Tsabola with a smile.

Currently, treating a cataract in Malawi costs a minimum of K100,000 in subsidized public facilities, while private hospitals charge over K1 million for the same procedure.