Eye patients cry over stolen eye machine

Scores of eye patients at the Margret Marquart Catholic Hospital, Kpando in the Volta region on Monday wept bitterly on learning that the prolonged delay in attending to them was due to the theft of the clinic's 27 million-cedi slit lamp (eye screening machine). Most of the patients queued at the Clinic as early as 5 a.m. and some who travelled from far had slept overnight at the Pastoral centre adjoining the hospital.

When by 3pm they had not been attended to, the patients became restless, accusing the hospital staff of not working fast enough. Dr Fridolin Anyomi, ophthalmologist, said the absence of the machine was delaying their work since the two doctors have to use one machine.

"If the machines were two the other doctor would have been examining other patients. It makes the work easier and faster," Dr Anyomi said. "What does the thief want us (the blind) to do and who will be buying this curse?" a septuagenarian patient lamented.

Mrs Laurentia Lithur, Administrator of the hospital said management is taking measures to strengthen security at the premises. She said the stealing of the machine has dealt a serious blow to the hospital.