The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

SOME 120 persons in the northern Bahamas will receive free cataract surgery through the 2nd Bright Journey Project, which will take place later this year on Grand Bahama.

The eye surgery programme is a collaborative effort between The Bahamas and the People’s Republic of China.

Ambassador Guisen Yuan was in Freeport on Tuesday to attend an appreciation breakfast at the Grand Lucayan Resort for the project’s site visit to Grand Bahama. Grand Bahama Minister Dr Michael Darville also attended and spoke on behalf of Minister of Health Dr Perry Gomez.

The project is scheduled to begin on November 7. Heading the Bright Journey medical team is Professor Yang Liu of Peking University, First Hospital, in Beijing, China.

Dr Darville expressed appreciation to the Chinese ambassador and the Bright Journey medical team for partnering with the government for a second consecutive year to provide surgical intervention that will help restore the sight of many local residents who suffer from cataracts.

“This project was presented by President of China Xi Jinging during a Heads of State meeting in Trinidad and Tobago in 2013. The president had a vision, which encompassed the assistance of many in the Caribbean who suffered from the debilitating condition associated with cataracts and he pledged this government’s support to see this vision actualised…,” the minister said.

Last year, the People’s Republic of China sent 100 medical professional to the region to help treat persons in need of eye surgery.

Minister Darville said during the first year, 101 surgeries were performed by a surgical team of eight doctors and nurses on patients in New Providence, and in the Family Islands, 32 of which were from Grand Bahama.

Additionally, he said that the People’s Republic of China provided and donated all the equipment, instruments and medical supplies, and pharmaceuticals for the project – a gift valued at over $570,000.

Dr Darville is pleased that the 2nd Bright Journey programme will be held on Grand Bahama.

The programme, he said, will be co-ordinated by Dr Paul Ward, chief of staff at the Rand Memorial Hospital, and supported by the surgical team from New Providence.

Dr Darville also expressed appreciation to the teams from the Ministry of Health, The Public Hospitals Authority and Grand Bahama Health Services.