A new specialised eye hospital has opened in Kisumu, bringing optical, general and specialised eye-care services closer to patients in Nyanza, Western Kenya and the wider East African region.
The Lions SightFirst Eye Hospital Kisumu was officially commissioned on Saturday by Kisumu Governor Prof Anyang’ Nyong’o, who said the facility would help address the region’s need for specialised eye-care services.
The facility offers optical and general eye-care services, as well as specialised and surgical procedures, expanding the range of treatment available to patients in the region.
Prof Nyong’o described the hospital as one of the largest and most comprehensive eye-care facilities in the region, saying its opening would help restore sight and hope to thousands of people.
He said many patients who previously had to travel long distances to seek specialised treatment would now be able to access services closer to home.
“No longer must our people travel to Nairobi … at great costs and delay to find help. The help has come to our doorstep,” Prof Nyong’o said during the commissioning.
The governor said the facility would help patients regain their independence and return to productive lives.
“Today, Lions Club has given Kisumu more than a hospital,” he said. “You have given our people the possibility of seeing their children again, returning to work, reading, working independently, and facing the future with confidence.”
Prof Nyong’o said the hospital would serve not only Kisumu but patients from across Western Kenya and the wider East African region.
Kisumu Deputy Governor Dr Mathew Owili said the facility was an important addition to the city’s healthcare infrastructure and would benefit patients from the wider western region and beyond.
“This is a very useful addition to your city,” Dr Owili said.
Principal Secretary in the State Department for Children Services CPA Carren Achieng Ageng’o said the hospital would be particularly important to children and families requiring specialised eye care.
She said good vision was fundamental to a child’s development and education, noting that children with untreated vision problems could struggle to learn, play, communicate and fully participate in society.
“A child who cannot see properly may face difficulties in learning,” Ms Ageng’o said.
She urged the hospital to give special attention to children with disabilities and other vulnerable groups who may face additional barriers in accessing specialised healthcare.
Ms Ageng’o also called for partnerships between the hospital, communities, schools and government agencies to promote early screening, prevention and timely treatment of eye conditions, particularly among children.
Project chairman Selayan Ramesh Mehta, a former district governor of Lions District 411, said the facility was established to expand access to quality eye-care services in the region.
The hospital is expected to receive patients from counties across Nyanza and Western Kenya, as well as neighbouring East African countries, strengthening Kisumu’s position as a regional healthcare hub.
Its range of optical, general, specialised and surgical services is expected to reduce the need for patients to travel outside the region for treatment.
The commissioning brings into operation a facility whose focus goes beyond treatment, with its promoters positioning it as a centre for restoring sight, improving quality of life and expanding access to specialised eye care.
