Eye Care in Rural Tanzania

It was early morning after a heavy downpour when Mingati*, a Maasai pastoralist, took his cattle out to graze. The grass was wet and slippery, causing Mingati to lose his footing and fall. In a moment of bad luck, Mingati landed forcibly on his cattle herd stick, puncturing his lower eyelid.

Bleeding profusely and in extreme pain, Mingati started the long journey to FAME from his village in the heart of Ngorongoro district, over 30 miles away. Once at FAME, he was treated by Sehewa Mganga, a RN and FAME’s Head Anesthetist. Originally trained as an ophthalmic assistant and with 10 years practicing optometry, Sehewa quickly examined Mingati and assessed the extent of the damage. The herd stick had completely punctured Mingati’s eyelid and conjunctiva, and an operation was urgently needed to save his eye.

Sehewa performed the operation, which required incredible precision. Any misstep would lead to permanent blindness. Mingati was in good hands with Sehewa and the operation was a success. After four days at FAME, he was able to return home with only a couple of follow-up visits needed.

Without FAME, Mingati would have had to go to Arusha for his surgery, making his journey over 90 miles long. Happy with the quality of healthcare and the professionalism of the staff, Mingati promised to recommend FAME to all his friends.

“I’m very happy with FAME. I want to say thank you. After the accident, there was so much blood. I was sure I was blind. FAME has made me see again and now I’m happy to go home and see my cows, and my children too!”

-Mingati

*While the patient’s name has been changed to protect privacy, permission was secured to share his photo and story with FAME supporters, and to raise awareness of available medical care at FAME Medical.