The Sri Lankan Association is helpingthe eye clinic atthe Port Moresby General Hospital by restoring eyesight to patients with corneal problems.
This is a procedure where corneal tissues are removerd from a donor, usually donated upon death, andthen grafted onto a patient who is suffering from blindness.
The procedure is a transplant thatthe doctors atthe eye clinic have been specially trained to carry out.
Present to receivethe cargo at Jacksons Airport yesterday, wasthe President ofthe Sri LankaPNG Friendship Foundation, Cyril Mudalige.
It’s not any ordinary cargo, as it could restorethe eye sight of patients suffering from blindness.
Contained insidethe small box are three corneas from Sri Lanka.
This isthe second donation for three more patients.
The aim ofthe foundation is to provide eye sight to at least 12 patients every year.
“Every three months we are getting three eyes from Sri Lanka for this eye clinic,” said Mudalige.
Corneal Transplantation is a surgical procedure where a damaged or diseased cornea ofthe eye is replaced by a donated corneal graft.
The transplant is costly and unaffordable for many Papua New Guineas, but through generous donations like this, many patients have hadtheir eyesight restored.
Doctors atthe Port Moresby Eye Clinic are specially trained to carry out this surgical procedure, and have been doing so, with a high success rate.
As early as 1989, Cornea Transplants were done in PNG throughthe efforts of athen Sri Lankan Doctor, Dr. Perea, who organized cornea to be brought tPNG. The Sri Lankan Foundation has revived this program.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=_zZogU-zxlY%3Ffeature%3Doembed%26wmode%3Dopaque%26showinfo%3D0%26showsearch%3D0%26rel%3D0
previous post