Sharon Chigeza
MUTARE–IN a welcome initiative to address critical health issues in Zimbabwe, Old Mutual made a pioneering partnership with the Eye Institute, founded by Dr. Ronald Mhizha.
This strategic collaboration will enhance eye care services for community members, including pensioners, and represents a significant step towards improving healthcare access and quality for those in need.
The inaugural pilot project launched in Manicaland, targeted areas where eye health services are particularly lacking.
The partnership comes in response to alarming statistics identified in the Zimbabwe National Eye Health Strategy (2014-2018), which highlighted cataracts, glaucoma, eye trauma, measles, and retinoblastoma as leading causes of blindness in the country.
According to World Health Organization (WHO), Zimbabwe has one of the highest rates of vision impairment in Africa. The majority of those affected are over the age of 60years and the numbers are only expected to rise as the population ages.
To combat this growing challenge, the National Eye Health Strategy 2021-2025 was introduced to reduce the burden of eye diseases by eradicating avoidable blindness. This comprehensive strategy focuses on providing sustainable eye care services that encompass promotion, prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation for all citizens.
Old Mutual and the Zimbabwe Eye Institute have joined forces to prioritise essential screenings, treatments, and surgeries, particularly for conditions that are often preventable and manageable through primary eye care interventions. This collaboration is important for pensioners, who may face additional barriers in accessing necessary health services.
“We are seeing more and more cases of glaucoma, especially among the elderly. If left untreated, glaucoma can lead to permanent vision loss. We are trying to look at different models of doing things.
“Most of the patients we deal with are the elderly at the age of 65 years and government policy stipulates that these people are treated for free, which becomes a challenge for us. A lot of pensioners have difficulties in terms of accessing quality health system.
“So we are looking at a model that can be presented to the Government in future in terms of how private public partnerships can be put together in terms of delivering health services. We are running a campaign where we are doing cataract services to patients who are not new, they have been screened over the past years,” said Dr Mhizha.
He added that the challenge was providing the whole surgery and spectacles to those who need them.
“What we are looking at mostly is the burden of cataracts presbyopia and glaucoma, those are the major challenges we face in the country. Most of the time majority of patients who need cataract surgery which they never used to access are the same patients coming for the same problem.”
Because of the added costs, they looked for partners who could sponsor the patients for the surgery, hence partnering Old Mutual as a pilot project, to see whether it works in Manicaland and then roll it out to other provinces.
Limited access to eye care services is a pressing issue, particularly in marginalised communities, where many people suffer from conditions that could be effectively treated with timely intervention. Old Mutual’s commitment to responsible business practices is evident in their efforts to bridge this gap.
“In our dedication to community well-being, we actively forge partnerships founded on mutual goals, enhancing the communities we serve for the comprehensive improvement of all. Through ventures with entities such as The Eye Institute, we reaffirm our commitment to create enduring positive change spanning generations, fostering health and vitality for both the young and the elderly, and ensuring a vibrant and healthier tomorrow for everyone,” said Lillian Mbayiwa Old Mutual Zimbabwe, Head Executive, Public Affairs and Sustainability.
The Eye Institute, with over 20 years in eye care, brings a wealth of expertise to this initiative. Their collaboration with Old Mutual will complement the efforts of the Government and other donor-funded organisations, such as the Council for the Blind.
A dedicated team of surgeons, optometrists, and dispensing opticians focused on screening for presbyopia—an age-related vision condition—and conducted cataract surgeries.
The envisioned impact of this initiative goes beyond individual health and exemplifies Old Mutual’s commitment to health equity and community development, ensuring that Zimbabweans have access to essential eye care for a brighter and healthier future.
New Ziana
