Chinese doctors and an Ethiopian doctor conduct a cataract surgery at Tirunesh Beijing Hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Jan. 2, 2025. (Tianjin Eye Hospital/Handout via Xinhua)
A Chinese medical team from Tianjin Eye Hospital on Friday officially launched a free cataract surgery campaign at Tirunesh Beijing Hospital in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia.
ADDIS ABABA, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese medical team from Tianjin Eye Hospital on Friday officially launched a free cataract surgery campaign at Tirunesh Beijing Hospital in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia.
Under the name of China-Ethiopia Brightness Journey, the Chinese medical team consisting of 10 senior ophthalmologists and nurses is set to conduct cataract surgery for more than 500 eye patients, with 80 of them having already enjoyed successful operations as of Friday.
Chinese Ambassador to Ethiopia Chen Hai said at the launch event that as part of the Chinese government's plan, Tianjin Eye Hospital has sent the best expert team with advanced medical equipment and technology to bring light and hope back to Ethiopian patients.
"The 'Bright Journey' project vividly shows our all-weather strategic partnership and traditional friendship. This project will help hundreds of Ethiopian cataract patients regain their sight," Chen said.
The team donated medical equipment to the hospital, which is also known as the Ethiopia-China Friendship Hospital, where Chinese and Ethiopian doctors treat patients shoulder to shoulder and share technical knowledge and experiences.
Ethiopian Minister of Health Mekdes Daba said that the China-Ethiopia Brightness Journey has a meaningful role in advancing the shared vision of China and Ethiopia by addressing not only visual impairment but also community needs in general.
"By providing cataract surgery, we will be making a tangible difference in improving eye surgery in Ethiopia," Daba said, noting that the government of Ethiopia values the campaign which aligns with the health policies in Ethiopia and manifests expanding partnership and shared vision between the two countries.
This photo taken on April 28, 2023, shows a group photo of the 24th Chinese medical team dispatched to Ethiopia at the Tirunesh Beijing General Hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. (The 24th Chinese medical team dispatched to Ethiopia/Handout via Xinhua)
President of the Tianjin Eye Hospital Zhang Wei, who is also the leader of the Chinese medical team, said the campaign is not only a continuation of China-Ethiopia friendship but also another milestone the countries are witnessing.
"We are willing to dedicate our surgical skills to the Ethiopian people and jointly write a beautiful chapter of the China-Ethiopia friendship. I hope this project will bring light to the patients in Ethiopia and inject new vitality and good expectations into the development of China-Ethiopia friendship," Zhang said.
This round of China-Ethiopia Brightness Journey is expected to help more than 500 cataract patients regain their sight. The team has so far managed to restore the sights of 80 eye patients since it began surgical procedures a week ago.
"I was able to see when the eye patch was removed. I felt like I was born again. Now, I can see as I did during my younger age. I am very grateful to those who gave my sight back," Mohammod Hassen, one of the beneficiaries of the campaign, told Xinhua in an interview. The 65-year-old man received the surgery Thursday on his left eye after 10 years of visual impairment.
According to data obtained from the Ethiopian Ministry of Health, more than 5.4 million Ethiopians are affected by different eye disorders, of whom half are facing cataract blindness.
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