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There is an opportunity for hundreds of Belizeans to receive free eye surgery in Venezuela. It is part of the Mission Milagro - or Mission Miracle Project by the Venezuelan government. The first step in the project is the round of free medical consultations which began this morning at the City Center.

Keith Swift Reporting,
Today the conference room at the City Center was converted into an eye clinic.

Emerson Guild, Coordinator
“They are re-screening the patients, checking their vitals and also checking their needs for the specific care that the Venezuela Mission Miracle is offering.”

Alexander Yanez, Charge d Affairs - Venezuela Embassy
“The idea is try to identify here in Belize what kind of problems the people have in the eyes. The idea is try to identify persons who need an operation for their eyes. The pathologies are cataract, pterigium, glaucoma, estrabism.”

49 year old Moses Babb has been told he has cataract and needs surgery.

Moses Babb, Diagnosed with Cataract
“They told me my two eyes bad.”

Keith Swift,
“You knew you had cataract?”

Moses Babb,
“Yes because I see it and plus I feel when I read and so, it is normal and so I know something wrong.”

Keith Swift,
“How has the cataract been affecting you?”

Moses Babb,
“Well honestly it affects me because I like to play like little pool game sometimes and I can see how it affects me in that way and in my reading and so I know my eyes are not like before, it used to be.”

Babb has been referred for surgery – meaning that next month he will be flown to Venezuela for eye surgery as part of the Mission Miracle International.

Alexander Yanez,
“If you have cataract and the doctor says you are selected you will go to Venezuela next month. It is so quick. The first flight we are expecting 110 persons. It is important to say it is a permanent program so each month we expect to send 100 possible patients to go to Venezuela and get the operation.”

Emerson Guild,
“After screening 100 people will be selected for the first flight and we will fly to Venezuela. They will stay there for ten days while we do surgeries and post-op care and then we return to Belize.”

It will be free of cost – the Venezuelan government will be paying for the surgery, transportation, and accommodation.

Emerson Guild,
“Nothing is being paid out of any of the patients’ pockets it is all going to be cared for and covered by the Venezuelan government.”

Alexander Yanez,
“Venezuelan government is supporting totally this program, you don’t need to pay. It is important to say that for example a cataract operation, maybe you have to be $3,000 American dollars, so now the Venezuelan government is supporting totally that operation and transportation, food, and lodging.”

The free clinic will now head west and then to Dangriga, Punta Gorda, and finally in Belmopan on March 3rd. The first set of patients will fly out between 22nd and 26th of March. Similar screenings were done last year but because of the H1N1 scare – the program was shut down. The Mission Miracle Project is similar to the program with the Cuban government where similarly – eye patients are flown to Cuba for surgery.