Vincentians to receive specialised eye care in Venezuela

An agreement has been signed between Kingstown and Caracas to implement a vision care programme titled “Miracle Vision” across St. Vincent and the Grenadines

This is part of the government’s mission to promote and protect the well-being of Vincentians, in particular persons suffering from vision related diseases.

As a result of the agreement, persons affected by pathologies or eye conditions related to ophthalmology, such as cataract will receive assistance.

Medical care will also be provided for persons with pterygium fleshiness, a growth of pink, fleshy tissue on the white of the eye, a non-cancerous lesion that usually grows slowly throughout life, and, in advanced cases, can continue growing until it covers the pupil of the eye and interferes with vision.

As a component of the agreement, a team of experts from Venezuela will visit the SVG from April 18-26 to conduct assessments and pre-select persons to benefit from medical eye care and surgery.

Under this initiative, persons requiring surgery will be given the opportunity to travel to Venezuela in June and July of this year to receive surgery, free of cost.

In a bid, then, to cover the entire population, the mission will see the expert team visiting several locations throughout the country to lend their expertise, including Georgetown, Mesopotamia, Barrouallie, Kingstown and the Grenadines.

Diagnostic Phase Schedule –

Venezuelan medical team and support personnel will conduct screening of up to 500 Vincentians daily to determine suitability to participate in the Miracle Mission programme. The conditions that will be treated in Venezuela are cataract and pterygium (fleshy growth on the eye).

On-site contacts will mobilize clients/patients and prepare venues