Hundreds of residents have turned up for specialised eye care services at a medical camp being conducted by specialists from Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH) in partnership with the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar and Qatar Charity.
The camp, which started on August 29, 2026, is being held at Sebuleni Health Centre in the Urban West Region and will run until September 4.
It is providing free eye screening and treatment, medicines, spectacles for eligible patients and small-incision cataract surgery.
Launching the services yesterday, Urban District Commissioner Hassan Khamis Hafidh commended the partnership, saying it was helping bring specialised healthcare closer to communities.
“The partnership between Muhimbili National Hospital, Qatar Charity and the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar has brought specialised eye services closer to our people. This is an important step towards improving access to healthcare and ensuring that people in need of eye treatment receive timely care,” he said.
Mr Hafidh urged residents to take advantage of the camp, saying the initiative presented an opportunity for people to access specialised services without travelling far.
The Head of the Ophthalmology Department at MNH, Dr Joachim Kilemile, said the hospital had deployed specialists and equipment to cope with the high turnout.
He urged residents not to be discouraged by the large number of people seeking treatment, assuring them that all patients would be attended to.
“We urge residents not to lose hope because of the large turnout. Muhimbili has deployed enough specialists and equipment to ensure that every patient who comes to the camp receives the appropriate care, including small-incision cataract surgery,” Dr Kilemile said.
The cataract procedures are being performed using a specially equipped mobile surgical vehicle, a system organisers say is being used for the first time in Tanzania.
The camp comes against the backdrop of rising disability levels in Zanzibar, with visual impairment among the leading forms of disability recorded in the 2022 Population and Housing Census.
The census shows that the proportion of people aged seven and above living with disabilities in Zanzibar rose from 7.5 per cent in 2012 to 11.4 per cent in 2022, an increase of 3.9 percentage points.
The figures underscore the growing need for accessible and specialised eye health services in Zanzibar, particularly for conditions that can be prevented or treated when detected early.