Lodwar – March 11, 2026 (Public Communication and Media Relations)

The County Government has launched an Optical Workshop at Lodwar County Referral Hospital (LCRH), marking a major milestone in strengthening access to specialized eyecare services in Turkana.

The return of optical services at the facility, supported by the Fred Hollows Foundation, will ensure uninterrupted eye care, including diagnosis and correction of refractive errors through prescription glasses, significantly improving eye health outcomes for residents across the county.

Speaking during the launch, the County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Health and Santation Services, noted that the Workshop forms a key component of the hospital’s eye unit. This, he said, is designed to diagnose and correct refractive errors such as short-sightedness and long-sightedness.

“For the first time in Turkana, optical services will be offered right here at the LCRH where patients can be diagnosed and receive glasses to correct refractive errors,” the CECM said.

He highlighted that the initiative is part of County Government’s long-standing partnership with Fred Hollows Foundation in the fight against avoidable blindness in Turkana.

Turkana has historically recorded high prevalence of avoidable blindness caused largely by Trachoma and Cataracts. However, significant progress has been made through sustained interventions jointly by the government and partners.

Trachoma prevalence in Turkana has been brought down to below 5% from the initial 52% in 2010. This progress is a result of collaborative efforts by the county and our stakeholders,” he added.

The CECM also emphasized that the workshop is equipped with a wide range of optical frames, including high-quality frameless glasses previously only accessible in major urban centers.

“All types of glasses are now available here, including frameless options that people previously had to travel to Nairobi to access. This means residents will no longer incur travel and logistical costs seeking eye services outside the county,” he said.

He noted that the initiative aligns with the Governor’s Nine-Point Development Agenda, particularly on universal health coverage, by bringing specialized services closer to the people.

Residents are also encouraged to register with the Social Health Authority (SHA) to facilitate affordable access to optical services without incurring out-of-pocket expenses.

The North Rift Regional Coordinator for The Fred Hollows Foundation, Ben K’ Olwa, reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to improving eye health services in the region.

“We have worked with counties across the North Rift region, including Turkana, for the past 12 years implementing various eye health interventions aimed at addressing avoidable blindness,” he said.

He revealed that the optical workshop represents an investment of approximately KES 9 Million. Despite being operational for just over a month, the facility has already generated about KES 307,000 in revenue, demonstrating its potential to contribute to sustainability of services at the hospital.

K’ Olwa further noted that recent studies indicate that the prevalence of avoidable blindness in Turkana stands at 6.2%, which is almost twice the national prevalence of about 3.2% as per the RAAB findings.

“In numbers, about 20,000 people in Turkana are living with varying degrees of blindness. This is a concern that we are working to address in partnership with this Department,” he explained.

He also acknowledged the progress made toward eliminating Trachoma, noting that the county has reduced its prevalence to levels close to the global elimination threshold of 5%, although some hotspots such as Suguta Sub-County still require heightened interventions.

The foundation has further committed KES 11 million during the Financial Year 2025/2026 to support additional eye health interventions across Turkana.

The Director for Preventive and Promotive Health, Daniel Esimit, commended the continued partnership with the Fred Hollows Foundation and emphasized the need to decentralize eye care services to enhance accessibility.

“Currently the services are available at LCRH, but we want to see them expanded to sub-county hospitals and lower-level facilities so that more residents can access these services closer to their communities,” he said.

He further stressed the importance of sustaining the investment to ensure long-term benefits for residents across Turkana.

The establishment of the Optical Workshop is expected to significantly reduce cases of untreated refractive errors while enhancing access to affordable eye care services for communities throughout the county.