Program on Free Eye Surgery Brings Vision back to the Poor

    Mr. Nguyen Van Hoang aged 66 passed a 25 kilometer-long road  from Phu Tuc commune to Dinh Quan town and was one of the soonest comers. He said he lived in distant area so he urged his son to start their journey earlier in the morning otherwise they would be late for the surgery. As a strength loss veteran, his family was so poor that his cataract had not afforded to be treated for 2 years. Seemingly it was hopeless to him until the commune Red Cross announced him that would be offered with free eye surgery. “I was extremely delighted and could not believe it came true when I was called to be under cursory examination in the district hospital,” said Mr. Hoang. In spite of tiredness caused by his old age and long-hour wait for long queue, joy and hope twinkled in his eyes since he would be treated by delegation of humanitarian surgeons of HCMC.

    Also waiting for the turn, Mrs. Vo Thi Xuan at the age of 60 in Dinh Quan town said that both she and her husband had to work for a hire. Her eyes grew dim gradually but the causes were unknown as she did not afford to see a doctor. That the Red Cross’s announcement suddenly came made her utterly happy.  “I may never be treated unless the Red Cross and these doctors do this charity,” she added. “I am so happy because my disease can hopefully be treated without any fee.” A radiant smile appears on her austere face after her words.

    Another story that is about Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Tuan, the son-in-law of the patient Nguyen Thi Dang in Ngoc Dinh commune really drives hearers moved. The program on eye surgery gave him a chance to show his gratitude to his mother-in-law. Her husband’s death left her 9 children who she has been bringing up by herself. The life hardness has taken her last strength, which caused her eyes to grow dim for opaque crystalline lens (Cataract).

     He said: “Our family is poor; I am just her son-in-law so she does not allow me to finance her treatment. After hearing that the surgeons would come and conduct free operation in the district hospital, I persuaded my mother-in-law and determined to carry her on my back across Tri An lake and through Gia Ty forest to get the district center. In my belief, it is a golden opportunity.”  When we met his mother had been operated and stayed recovery room. According to him, she got much better.

    This is the second time the free eye exam and surgery for the poor has ever been conducted in Dinh Quan this year. The program has drawn over 600 poor patients who had participated in cursory test of eyes. In the end, 150 out of the most serious patients were chosen to undergo surgery this time. But 130 of them were operated for the patients’ problems like hypotension and physical health. The rest may join the next programs.

    Mrs. Luong Thanh Ky, chairman of Dinh Quan Red Cross said that those who have already operated were patients with eyes disorders such as cataracts and trachoma. The final objective of the program is to bring vision to the poor across the district, then help them to live a better life. By means of these activities, each treated patient must be a dynamic propagandist in community.

    As a rule, something seemingly modest can result in happiness by many times. The interest of each humanitarian activist is to bring and share happiness and difficulties with community, especially in-distress people. For that reason, The Red Cross of Dinh Quan district has decided resuming the program in the district later this year as an invaluable present to the poor the far-flung areas.

(Reported by Nguyen Le, Reported By L.H)