Donate your cornea before death,health experts urge!

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-There are many children who are not able to finish their studies since they are affected by cornea disease-

Dr Bett Cheruiyot of the MTRH

By Hilda Sawe

 

The Moi teaching and Referral hospital Eldoret has implored on the Government to initiate a Bill that will provide a legal framework on how Kenyans can donate body organs before death.

 

According to Dr. Bett Cheruiyot an ophthalmologist at the Moi Teaching and Referral hospital, blindness is mostly caused by the corneal disease and has in the recent past affected the young generation who lack cornea replacement.

 

“There are many children who are not able to finish their studies since they are affected by cornea disease that leads to eye blindness, If we had a cornea bank we could easily carry out such transplants “said Dr. Cheruiyot .

 

Dr Cheruiyot noted the hospital was depending on imported  cornea from European countries that are  expensive   yet  their citizens  are voluntarily giving them to eye banks.

 

He added that the corneas are of low quality since most of them are donated  by the  old people .

 

According to Dr Cheruiyot, the MTRH  has carried out  successful cornea transplants to around 20 patients, a majority of them  children.

 

The Specialist emphasizes the need for the Country to  open an eye bank   and  sensitize members of  the public  on the importance of  donating  their  body organs.

 

 

“It’s better to give out your cornea to the living people to help them live a  quality   life  other than being buried  with it “Said Dr .Cheruiyot.

 

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