![\"\u0639\u0645\u0644\u064a\u0627\u062a](\"https:\/\/zoomafricanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/\u062c\u0646\u0648\u0628-\u0625\u0641\u0631\u064a\u0642\u064a\u0627-300x202.jpg\")
The Associated Press quoted Dr. Tebogo Fakudy, one of the volunteer doctors, as saying: "Restoring sight is wonderful because it alleviates depression and reduces the feeling of being a burden." He added that the surgeries are essential for restoring patients' independence and dignity.<\/p>\n
According to the World Health Organization, more than two billion people worldwide suffer from vision impairment, half of whom have either preventable conditions or have not yet received treatment. The number of people with cataracts is estimated at around 100 million globally, half of whom require surgery, while the rate in Africa reaches 751,300.<\/p>\n
Surgical waiting lists in South Africa<\/h1>\n
South Africa suffers from long waiting lists for surgeries, with public hospitals serving more than three-quarters of the country's 62 million people. Surgical marathons, first launched on Mandela Day in 2023, have become an effective way to address the backlog.<\/p>\n
The latest campaigns have focused on cataract removal, with around 300,000 new cases diagnosed annually, while more than 240,000 people are waiting to undergo the procedure.<\/p>\n During the recent marathon campaign, 60 surgeries were performed over three days at the Folosong Regional Hospital, with a new patient being admitted to the operating room approximately every 30 minutes, while soothing music played to uplift the spirits of the surgeons. The meticulous work and coordination among the surgeons resulted in rapid and tangible improvements in the sight of hundreds of patients.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u0627\u0633\u062a\u0639\u0627\u062f \u0627\u0644\u0639\u0634\u0631\u0627\u062a \u0645\u0646 \u0645\u0635\u0627\u0628\u064a \u0627\u0644\u0645\u064a\u0627\u0647 \u0627\u0644\u0628\u064a\u0636\u0627\u0621 \u0639\u0644\u0649 \u0627\u0644\u0639\u064a\u0646 \u0641\u064a \u062c\u0646\u0648\u0628 \u0625\u0641\u0631\u064a\u0642\u064a\u0627 \u0642\u062f\u0631\u062a\u0647\u0645 \u0639\u0644\u0649 \u0633\u0644\u0627\u0645\u0629 \u0627\u0644\u0646\u0638\u0631\u060c \u0628\u0639\u062f \u0645\u0639\u0627\u0646\u0627\u062a\u0647\u0645 \u0644\u0633\u0646\u0648\u0627\u062a \u0637\u0648\u064a\u0644\u0629 \u0641\u064a \u0645\u0634\u0627\u0643\u0644 \u0645\u0639 \u0627\u0644\u0631\u0624\u064a\u0629. \u0648\u0641\u064a \u062a\u0642\u0631\u064a\u0631 \u0644\u0648\u0643\u0627\u0644\u0629 \u0623\u0633\u0648\u0634\u062a\u064a\u062f \u0628\u0631\u0633\u060c \u0631\u0635\u062f\u062a 133 \u0634\u062e\u0635\u0627 \u062a\u0645\u0643\u0646\u0648\u0627 \u0645\u0646 \u0627\u0633\u062a\u0639\u0627\u062f\u0629 \u0628\u0635\u0631\u0647\u0645 \u062e\u0644\u0627\u0644 \u062d\u0645\u0644\u0629 \u0645\u0643\u062b\u0641\u0629 \u0644\u0625\u062c\u0631\u0627\u0621 \u0639\u0645\u0644\u064a\u0627\u062a \u0625\u0632\u0627\u0644\u0629 \u0627\u0644\u0645\u064a\u0627\u0647 \u0627\u0644\u0628\u064a\u0636\u0627\u0621 \u0627\u0644\u0645\u062c\u0627\u0646\u064a\u0629\u060c \u0623\u0642\u064a\u0645\u062a \u0639\u0644\u0649 \u0645\u062f\u0649 \u0639\u0637\u0644\u062a\u064a\u0646 \u0646\u0647\u0627\u064a\u0629 \u0623\u0633\u0628\u0648\u0639 \u0641\u064a \u0645\u0633\u062a\u0634\u0641\u064a\u064a\u0646 \u0628\u0627\u0644\u0642\u0631\u0628 \u0645\u0646 \u062c\u0648\u0647\u0627\u0646\u0633\u0628\u0631\u062c. …<\/p>","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1812,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[24,217,41],"tags":[425,423,316,424],"class_list":["post-1809","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-africanews","category-slider","category-socity","tag-425","tag-423","tag-316","tag-424"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\u0639\u0645\u0644\u064a\u0627\u062a](\"https:\/\/zoomafricanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/\u0639\u0645\u0644\u064a\u0627\u062a-\u0627\u0644\u0639\u064a\u0648\u0646-\u0641\u064a-\u062c\u0646\u0648\u0628-\u0625\u0641\u0631\u064a\u0642\u064a\u0627-300x201.jpg\")