A cataract surgical campaign was launched at the Katima Mulilo State Hospital.
The campaign brings hope to hundreds of patients suffering from preventable blindness.
The outreach brought together specialist doctors, local health care workers and international partners, all working to reduce the burden of avoidable blindness.
The weeklong programme, which started on 10 April, ends on Friday. It aims to restore sight and improve the quality of life for community members.
"The first day we operated on 99 patients, yesterday we did 101 patients, and today we shall see how far we are going to go, but in total we are aiming to do 500 patients from the Kavango East and Zambezi regions," said ophthalmologist Dr. Helena Ndume. "One thing I have to say is that our government really deserves accolades for the continuous contribution it is making in supporting and facilitating the outreach programmes in this country; other countries in Africa don't enjoy this."
According to global health figures, cataracts remain one of the causes of preventable blindness worldwide, accounting for more than 40% of visual impairment.
In Namibia, the condition continues to especially affect the elderly, often limiting their ability to live independently.
Speaking at the event, the councillor for the Katima Mulilo Urban constituency, Kennedy Simasiku, thanked the team for bringing the outreach programme to the Zambezi Region.
"The Zambezi Region and Katima Mulilo Urban, in particular, are very grateful that you brought this campaign to us. I remember last year we had to arrange transport for people to go to Kavango East, and we are truly grateful that you have chosen to bring the services to us this time around."
Zambezi Governor Dorothy Kabula said the programme reflects the Ministry of Health and Social Services' commitment to delivering quality health care while also emphasising the importance of expanding access to specialised medical services, particularly in remote areas.
Statistics from the current financial year show that the Katima Mulilo State Hospital has already attended to over 300 cataract patients, while a similar campaign conducted in Rundu last year restored sight to more than 100 people.
"I am reliably informed that we still have 334 patients within our communities who have been diagnosed with cataracts, and 150 of them qualify for the same surgery. I urge all carers and family members to make sure that all patients suffering from cataracts are registered with the Ministry of Health and Social Services eye clinic on time in order for the patients to benefit from treatment."
The campaign began with patients from the Kavango East Region.