The BCT sponsored an eye camp second year running. The camp took place between 25 April – 5 May 2008 and accommodated 135 cataract operations.

Here below is a brief report from the organisers.

• The team arrived to Comoros (Moroni) on 25th April at 5pm, by Air Tanzania as usual late. We rested the night, and on Saturday the 26th April, we had meeting with the Acting Minister of Health. He appreciated our effort to come to Comoros, to render this service and to continue this type of effort in future to help underprivileged people.

• After that, another meeting was organized with the General Secretary of health of Ngazija and of Comoros .They were very welcoming and expressed the same feeling of thanks and they offered their help if required.
• On Sunday 27th April we went to one of the underprivileged town, towards the South of Ngazija, here the volcano is located known as Fuomboni. We met there with the prominent leaders of the community. They were surprised and wondered how one can do these camps here because they had very basic facilities in the government hospital. We convinced them that we can do a lot here. It was the first type of its camp in their town.
• On Monday, 28th April we started screening our patients. After screening about 70 patients, we selected 25 cases for surgery that day.
• On 29th we did post operative follow up of those patients, and again we did screening of 50 patients to select new patients. We operated 17 patients second day, making altogether 43 patients. Out of which there were 5 patients whose both eyes were operated.
• On 30th of April after performing our post-operative follow-up, we did not have any major problem and ultimately, everybody was happy. Immediately after that we had closing ceremony, in which the mayor of the town was the chief guest.

• In his speech he thanked Sambi Foundation, Beta Charitable Trust for organizing this event and hoped this will not be the last.

• We left Fuomboni after that, and after short stay in Moroni we went to Mitsamouli that was the extreme North of Ngazija Island.

• The facilities at Mitsamouli Medical and Churgical Centre were definitely better, and it was semi modern medical centre. The theatre was quite modern and the environment was quite conducive.

• On 1st May, we screened about 80 patients, and operated 31 patients and carried out our post-operative follow-up on 2nd May, and screened 70 patients to select 27 cases of surgery on 2nd of May.

• On 3rd May after attending post-operative cases, we screened around 70 cases and operated 23 cases, and on 4th May after post operative follow up we operated 12 cases.

• Altogether out of 93 cases operated at Mitsamouli 15 patients were operated on both eyes.

• On the last day, a farewell party was organized in which, the Minister of Religious Affairs and the Director of the hospital thanked Beta Charitable Trust. Dr Dilawar also thanked them and gave the brief introduction of Beta Charitable Trust (UK).

Altogether, we operate 135 cases with fairly with very low rate of complication. This was a big success and it was the first activity of its kind in Ngazija.