Bakwena is currently engaged in a CSI Eye Screening Project across 88 schools in the North West Province.
The Eye Screening affects 45 000 learners’ mainly in rural areas. The Eye Screening is carried out by a dedicated Bakwena team of four, Barbara Kgote, Martha Makhotsi, Mpho Ramasia and Johanna Mahlangu. They identify children with vision problems.
Bakwena has agreed to provide spectacles to children in need of them so as to improve the quality of life and enhance education.
After screening, children identified with possible vision problems are transported to optometrists who perform a full eye examination on these children and issue a script.
Bakwena orders spectacles through the Lions Operation Brightsight who provide high quality recycled spectacles at a very reasonable cost. To date we have screened 11 500 learners, 1200 have been sent to the optometrist for further examination and we have issued 111 specs. The total value of the screening tests, optometrist tests and the spectacles is R721 500.
The North West Department of Health is currently following up on 11 referral patients with more serious problems such as infections and glaucoma, which requires specialized medical treatment.