By Shalom Shawurwa
Old Mutual Zimbabwe has teamed up with the Eye Institute to launch a nationwide programme offering free eye care including more than 300 cataract surgeries scheduled for this year.
The initiative follows a 2024 pilot in Manicaland where over 100 patients had their sight restored.
Cataracts remain the leading cause of preventable blindness in Zimbabwe.
According to the World Health Organisation, more than 62,000 Zimbabweans are blind due to cataracts accounting for about half of the country’s 125,000 blindness cases.
Health Minister Dr Douglas Mombeshora said eye conditions rank among the top five reasons people seek outpatient care.
“Up to 80% of blindness in Zimbabwe is avoidable and treatable when timely interventions are made,” Dr Mombeshora told guests at the launch of the free eye clinics in Harare.
Old Mutual Corporate Business Executive Chrispen Dzingirai said the project reflects the insurer’s commitment to social wellbeing beyond financial services.
“Restoring sight goes beyond medical outcomes – it is social, emotional and transformative,” he said.
Eye Institute founder Dr Ron Mhizha said his team would provide medical expertise and technology and called on other companies to back the programme.
The next round of free eye camps is scheduled for Manicaland from 22–25 October before moving to the Midlands from 21–25 November.
Authorities warn cataracts pose a growing challenge particularly among older citizens who make up nearly 5% of Zimbabwe’s population.
Expanding access to surgery and primary eye care, they say, will be key to reducing avoidable blindness.
