P/Bag X9219 Maphumulo 4470
Tel +27 (0) 32 481 4100
Fax +27 (0) 32 481 2203
Email thabo.sithole@kznhealth.gov.za
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UMPHUMULO HOSPITAL P/Bag X9219 Maphumulo 4470 Tel +27 (0) 32 481 4100 Fax +27 (0) 32 481 2203 Email thabo.sithole@kznhealth.gov.za |
Umphumlo hospital eye care centre
The shortage of ophthalmologists is a major concern for the eye care service in South
Africa. There are 70 hospitals in KZN. Of these only 11 provide an ophthalmic
service consisting of an evaluation and ophthalmic surgery.
There are only 2 facilities on the North Coast of KZN that provide ophthalmic
services, namely Stanger Hospital and Ngwelezana Hospital. Stanger Hospital
caters for the Ilembe district as well as part of the Ethekwini District
After a long arduous journey of careful planning and implementation of a little
idea, Umphumulo Hospital can now boldly boast the grand opening of a fully
functional eye care center with a new completely equipped theatre.
This is the first time in South African history that a rural district hospital
will have such a facility. It is all thanks to the remarkable Dr. Chowdhury and
his team with Hospital manager from Stanger hospital, Umphumulo hospital and
Ilembe district manager. With unrelenting hard work and dedication for patient
care he planted this seed and nurtured it into the fruit it has bared today.
During the month of May, the selected staff from Umphumulo hospital attended
intensive training at Stanger hospital’s eye clinic, theatre and wards. They acquired the expertise specific to eye care in order to be ready for the
opening of this facility in August 2008.
Since January 2008, Dr. Chowdhury has arranged for Stanger hospital eye clinic
optometrists to visit Umphumulo hospital weekly in order to screen patients. In
May 2008, doctors from Stanger hospital eye care center will start rotating
weekly through Maphumulo hospital assessing and treating eye patients as well as
selecting patients for cataract surgery to start in June. Thereafter the doctors
will rotate two times a week.
Dr.Chowdhury and those doctors trained by Dr. Chowdhury will perform anterior
segment surgery with emphasis on cataract surgery as this is one of the leading
causes of blindness in South Africa.
The excitement and enthusiasm from staff at both Stanger Hospital and Umphumulo
hospital is easily palpable as this historic journey takes a giant leap, giving
a new definition to patient outreach!
In future, soon there will be another hospital which will be able to start eye
care service in Port Shepstone area with the guidance of Dr.Chowdhury and the
Hon.MEC for Health as well as KZN health department.