Orbis plans to conduct simple eye surgeries in remote regions of Ethiopia, in the hope to cure thousands of people suffering from the painful, blinding, and life-destroying eye disease - trachoma.
Trachoma is an infectious eye disease and across the developing world it continues to bring pain, blindness and poverty to millions. Trachoma is prevalent in Ethiopia and out of the two million people living in the Gamo Gofa region, approximately 34,000 people are suffering with trachoma and are in the need of immediate surgical intervention. Unless treated these young people will become blind, will no longer be productive and will be a burden on the community and the country at large.
In particularly remote areas of the Gamo Gofa region there are currently little or no eye care facilities, yet a simple surgery can save someone's sight. Therefore with effective surgery, someone's suffering could be over in a matter of hours.
The outreach program will visit a region with a population of 12,000 and during the program more than 2,000 people will be screened for trachoma and more than 240 surgeries will be conducted - removing pain, restoring vision and transforming lives.
