Lions Clubs break ground for specialised eye care clinic at Nsambya Hospital

Lions Clubs of Uganda under District 411B in partnership with Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF) and St Francis Hospital, Nsambya this week launched a ground breaking ceremony to construct a specialised eye clinic.

The comprehensive Eye Care Project involves construction of a two storied specialised eye care hospital which will be equipped with the latest high tech-eye care equipment, according to the project chairperson Lion Dr Geoffrey Erem.

"The Project also involves training of eye care health workers including opticians, opthalmogists and technicians. Outreach activities will also be conducted under the auspices of St Francis Hospital, Nsambya to take services nearer to communities", said Erem.

Dr Dans Nshekanabo, the LCIF Coordinator said the project will cost $ 420,431 (About Shs 1.5 billion), with  the Latter Day Saints Charities, contributing $ 129,855 towards high tech eye care equipment and human resource training.

St Francis Nsambya Hospital Board of Governors Chairman, Freddie Ssengooba, said the hospital shall contribute Shs 400 million which is at least 30 percent of cost of construction.

"Today marks the start of construction of Shs 1.4 billion specialized eye care clinic, which should be completed within nine months. Other project activities will run for a period of four years," said Ssengooba.

Lions Clubs in Uganda have supported government in major immunisation programs for measles and rubella, investing up to $ 2 million over the last five years, according to Lions Clubs of Uganda Governor John Bosco Ntangare.

He said the current projects include Diabetes Retinopathy Project in Western Uganda ($ 800, 000), the Diabetes Awareness and Prevention Project in Central and Eastern Uganda ($ 300,000), Comprehensive Eye care Project in Northern Uganda of $ 1.8 million, Comprehensive Eye Care Project in Southwestern Uganda ($ 500,000) and the Lions Quest Life Skills Project for the youth in various secondary school funded to the tune of $ 80,000.