Gift Zulu, an 11-year-old boy from Kasonde Village in Zambia. He is one of the students at Kasonde Primary School who was referred to a MEHC (Mobile Eye Health Clinic). At first glance, any person, including those who are not trained in eye health, could tell that Gift’s eyes were not in good health. From the dark appearance and soreness, it was evident that Gift needed medical attention. He also said how irritating his eyes get as they itch a lot and, most of the time, if not always, he is forced to scratch them in hope of some relief.
Gift was diagnosed with Vernal Keratoconjunctivitis which if left untreated can cause permanent damage to his eyes and cause serious refractive error. Through Vision Action and USAID*, Gift received the necessary treatment for his condition. A week later, everyone was happy to know that Gift carries his medication in his school bag, and he is getting help from his teacher to appropriately follow his treatment every day at school. It was clear that his eyes had gotten better.
Gift said:
“The scratching has reduced; I no longer do it as much and I’m able to concentrate better in class and I play more now.’’
Gift is a middle child with three older siblings and three younger ones. He mentioned that all his siblings and his mother have the same problem as him, and that he wishes they can also receive medical help like he did. We encouraged his teacher to share eye health information with Gift’s family on the matter and encouraged them to seek medical attention at the nearest eye clinic with all their children.
*This programme is made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The contents are the responsibility of Vision Action and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.