Health and Social Services Minister Kalumbi Shangula says the ability to see and the gift of vision are two of the most essential aspects of human health and well-being.
However, across the globe, millions of people suffer from preventable and correctable vision impairments due to a lack of access to basic eye-care services, leading to disability and, in many cases, permanent blindness.
Shangula made these remarks when he officially inaugurated the Sustainable Vision Centre at Oshakati Intermediate Hospital in the Oshana Region.
Dr. Shangula said many individuals in Namibia, especially in rural and underserved areas, struggle with vision-related challenges.
The vision centre at a public health centre is thus vital, as many people are unable to afford the high costs of optical services in the private sector.
Shangula is, however, concerned about many school-going children who face learning difficulties due to uncorrected refractive errors, and adults, including breadwinners, who struggle with impaired vision that affects their productivity and quality of life.
"It is for this reason that the Sustainable Vision Centre holds immense significance not just for the residents of Oshakati but for the entire country, especially the northern part of Namibia, where thousands stand to benefit from the eye care services offered here when they are referred to this new facility. This vision centre will operate as an integral part of the public health system in line with the existing regulatory framework, benefiting from the existing health infrastructure and human and financial resource skills."
Eye specialist Dr. Helena Ndume expressed similar sentiments about learners who have difficulty with vision at school.
"The inability to see affects children in school; you find sometimes the child is being beaten by the parents. Oshinona eshi inashihala kwiilonga eshi vakweni otaapiti ngaaa ove ito piti, the child is beaten not knowing that all the child needs is glasses because the child cannot see on the blackboard, and the child thinks that the way I am seeing is the way I am supposed to see."
The vision centre will operate as an integral part of the public health system in line with the existing regulatory framework, benefiting from existing health infrastructure, human financial resources, and skills.
The new service is defined by collaboration, foresight, and a shared dedication to improving eye health services for the Namibian people.
The establishment of the centre was made possible with the generous support and partnership of the OneSight Essilor Luxottica Foundation, an organisation that has continuously demonstrated its commitment to making quality eye care accessible to all.