By William Madouk
Italian Agency for Development Cooperation has supported pediatric unit at Buluk Eye Centre, aimed at reducing by 80%, the need to send children abroad for treatment.
The inauguration was attended by Health Minister Yolanda Awel, Central Equatoria State Deputy Governor Paulino Lukudu, Dr. Massimo Maggio, CEO of Christian Blind Mission – Italy (CBM-Italy), and other dignitaries.
Under the project dubbed ‘Bright Sight’ the Italian government through CBM-Italy funded the project with 2.5 million Euro to build and equip eye care facilities in Lakes State, Eastern and Central Equatoria states.
In her remark, health minister Awel said the centre would not only treat eye disease but also prevent blindness and visual impairment across the country.
“Having the first paediatric eye centre in the country, well equipped and capable of providing specialized paediatric services is going to reduce a lot of burden on parents in the country,” she said.
“So, this centre is not going to be giving services but it is going to be preventing blindness in the country,” she added.
Minister Awel urged parents to keep piercing objects out of the children’s reach to avoid hurting their eyes. She also advised for early treatment of any eye-related diseases for better management.
In his part, the Deputy Governor of CES, Paulino Lukudu noted that the launching of the facility comes at the right time when the state leadership is geared toward service delivery and development.
He urged the medics to treat all patients equally without any discrimination against nationals and foreigners.
Lukudu directed for deployment of security personnel at Buluk Eye Centre to protect property, and patients and maintain law and order at the facility.
Furthermore, the Deputy governor advised the doctors to take good care of the paediatric unit.
While, the Chief Executive Officer for CBM – Italy, Mr. Massimo Maggio noted that: “today of course is a special, is a big day for profound significant as we gathered to celebrate the commissioning of the paediatric unit as the Buluk Eye Centre in Juba South Sudan.”
“This novelty is not only a testimony of remarkable progress [that] we have achieved over the year in eye care but a testimony to the power of partnership – this quality stands as the shining example of a work that can be achieved when organization join force with a common goal,” he added.
Maggio explained that CBM had teamed up with Buluk management since 2015 to address pressing needs for inclusive eye care services to unserved and underserved communities.
“Today, as we provide the paediatric unit at the Buluk centre, we are not just opening the doors, we are opening the world of possibilities,” he added.
“This new eye unit will serve countless individuals and families offering a comprehensive eye care service from diagnoses to treatment and rehabilitation – equipped by the latest technology and the skill of personnel.”
Meanwhile, Dr. Jospeh Monday, Medical Director for the Buluk Eye Centre said “the only cases that we will refer from now onward are cases of cancer ‘Retinoblastoma’ but 90 per cent of the cases will be operated here in Buluk.”
Mr. Francis Okello, the Country Director of CBM – South Sudan cited that during the second phase of the project they realized the number of children referred aboard amid economic hardship.
“As we were experiencing the challenges of referring our children to neighbouring countries; as partners, we put our heads together… to reduce this huge expenditure on behalf of the citizen,” said Okello.
“This paediatric unit was an embodiment of this project, in other words, the referral of children to neighbouring countries and Uganda in particular will reduce significantly by close to 80 per cent,” he noted.