The Ministry of Health and Child Care has partnered with the Eye Institute and Old Mutual Zimbabwe to expand free cataract surgeries to Manicaland and Midlands provinces, targeting vulnerable groups, including the elderly.
The Eye Camp Initiative will run in Manicaland from October 22 to 25 and in the Midlands from November 21 to 25, with a target of at least 300 operations this year.
According to the World Health Organisation, more than 125,000 Zimbabweans are blind, with over half of the cases linked to cataracts.
Minister Dr. Douglas Mombeshora praised the programme, saying it demonstrated the importance of joint efforts in improving healthcare.
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“It is especially important for the elderly, who make up nearly five percent of our population. This shows that when government and the private sector work together, impact is multiplied,” he said.
Eye Institute founder and director Dr. Ron Mhizha said the initiative was designed to become part of primary healthcare.
“Together with government support, we aim to integrate this programme into primary healthcare and make it ongoing into the foreseeable future. We also hope other corporates will come forward to support this cause,” he said.
Old Mutual’s Corporate Business Executive, Mr. Chrispen Dzingirai, said their involvement built on the success of a pilot programme launched in 2024.
“The journey we began last year has shown us the transformative power of restoring sight. The overwhelming response encouraged us to scale up in 2025, with screenings already conducted in high-density suburbs such as Machipisa, Glenorah, and Mabvuku,” he said.
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