The Shs 93bn project mission is part of a Global Fund project that will see all district referral hospitals acquire vision clinics or eye centres, which will be one-stop centres for vision conditions.
It is understood that specialist teams were dispatched to India, South Africa, and China to identify a genuine supplier of optical equipment. Three suppliers were recommended for evaluation, and upon receipt of the different reports, the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA) was assigned to evaluate the bids, prepare a report, and recommend which bidder should be awarded the contract.
According to sources, the PPDA selected Chongqing Vision Star Optical Company, but this awaits the approval of the government. The selection of Chongqing Vision Star Optical Company heavily relied on their track record in Uganda, where they have previously distributed optical equipment. They also had guarantees from several specialists, such as Dr Simon Aruga, an ophthalmologist to whom they recently supplied optical equipment.
Reached out for a comment, Dr Aruga said his hospital has been collaborating with Chongqing Vision Star Optical Company for the past five years.
“During this time, we have consistently found their equipment to be reliable, which has significantly contributed to the quality of our ophthalmic services,” he said.
Should everything go according to plan, Chongqing Vision Star Optical Company is expected to be announced soon and will be required to make the shipment before the end of the year.
BACKGROUND
According to statistics from the ministry of Health, about 57 per cent of blindness cases in the country go untreated due to cataracts, a condition that can be easily treated with modern optical equipment. Cataracts are the most common cause of visual impairment due to uncorrected refractive errors.
The mission is part of a Global Fund project that will see all district referral hospitals acquire vision clinics or eye centres, which will be one-stop centres for vision conditions.