All health institutions should set up measures to help communities get timely ophthalmological services to minimise the number of people losing their sight to otherwise treatable conditions.

Aime Bosenibamwe, the governor of Northern Province, said the government has done a lot to empower the health sector because of the belief that a healthy nation is a wealthy one.

Bosenibamwe was on Thursday speaking at an event to mark the World Sight Day.

"Even if Rwanda is among the model countries in implementing the Millennium Development Goals, especially on targets related to health, we still have a long way to go to ensure all Rwandans access services fully,” he said.Dr Deogratias Ndekezi, the director of Ruhengeri Hospital, said all people should undergo regular eye check-up so they can get timely ophthalmological support whenever defects are detected.

"Prevention is far better than cure. People should come for optical diagnostic test regularly even if they do not have pain in order to take appropriate precautions,” he said.

Ndekezi also said the hospital’s ophthalmology department has made tremendous improvements in terms of infrastructure and personnel and challenged the public to take advantage of the development to seek treatment.

"Nobody should remain blind as optical services are available across the country. People should come for optical treatment to avoid any sight issues that may lead to poverty,” Ndekezi said.

He said blindness is curable but added that the most appropriate thing to do is to prevent it, which he said should be done by maintaining hygiene and having regular check-ups.

World Sight Day is an annual day of awareness held on the second Thursday of October to focus global attention on visual impairments and vision in general.

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