STORY: Zimbabwean cataract patients regain sight through "Bright Journey" program
SHOOTING TIME: Feb. 26, 2025
DATELINE: Feb. 28, 2025
LENGTH: 00:02:53
LOCATION: Harare
CATEGORY: HEALTH/SOCIETY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the eye patients 
2. various of the Chinese doctors
3. SOUNDBITE 1 (Shona): MARIYA SANGARE, 80-year-old patient
4. various of the participants
5. various of the hospital patients
6. various of the eye tests
7. various of the eye patients
8. SOUNDBITE 2 (Shona): MARIYA SANGARE, 80-year-old patient
9. SOUNDBITE 3 (Shona): COSMAS CHIPENGO, 25-year-old recipient of cataract surgery
10. various of Douglas Mombeshora, Zimbabwean Minister of Health and Child Care
11. SOUNDBITE 4 (English): DOUGLAS MOMBESHORA, Zimbabwean Minister of Health and Child Care
12. various of the hospital patients
13. various of the Chinese doctors
14. SOUNDBITE 5 (English): ZHOU DING, Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe
15. various of the Chinese doctors

STORYLINE:

With her vision restored after a successful cataract surgery, 80-year-old Mariya Sangare beamed with joy as she prepared to embrace a new chapter in life, thanks to a team of Chinese doctors.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Shona): MARIYA SANGARE, 80-year-old patient
"I can now see everything clearly. There is nothing I can not see."

Sangare said at the official launch of the "Bright Journey" program on Wednesday at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals in Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe.

Sangare is one of 600 Zimbabwean patients benefiting from the China-aided program, which provides free cataract surgeries.

A team of 12 specialists from China's Hunan Provincial People's Hospital has been carrying out the surgeries under the program, which began on Feb. 12.

For patients like Sangare, whose lives were hindered by blurred vision, the initiative offers a renewed sense of independence and hope.

SOUNDBITE 2 (Shona): MARIYA SANGARE, 80-year-old patient
"This initiative has helped me a lot. My grandchildren can now eat peanut butter from the peanuts I grow. I could not farm this year because of my cataracts."

Cosmas Chipengo, a 25-year-old recipient of the surgery, said restoring his eyesight means he can now return to work after seven months.

SOUNDBITE 3 (Shona): COSMAS CHIPENGO, 25-year-old recipient of cataract surgery
"I want to thank the Chinese doctors because we could not afford the medical expenses. This program has done a great thing for us."

Zimbabwean Minister of Health and Child Care Douglas Mombeshora said that preventable blindness from cataracts remains a major public health issue in the country, but the "Bright Journey" program is helping to address the challenge.

SOUNDBITE 4 (English): DOUGLAS MOMBESHORA, Zimbabwean Minister of Health and Child Care
"This moment represents not merely the commencement of a medical project, but the beginning of a bright journey, an important initiative that seeks to restore sight to 600 Zimbabweans, empowering them to reclaim their autonomy and reintegrate fully into society."

According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 125,000 people in Zimbabwe were living with blindness in 2021, with 62,500 cases caused by cataracts. Due to the high cost of treatment, many low-income individuals, particularly in rural areas, are unable to access care, leading to preventable blindness.

Speaking at the launch, Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Zhou Ding said that the program not only reflects China's commitment to global health cooperation but also strengthens the deep and enduring friendship between China and Zimbabwe.

This year marks both the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Zimbabwe and the 40th anniversary of their medical cooperation.

SOUNDBITE 5 (English): ZHOU DING, Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe
"On the occasion of the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Zimbabwe, the implementation of the program has added luster to our anniversary celebrations."

The impact of the program extends beyond restoring sight as it enhances Zimbabwe's medical expertise in eye surgeries and fosters knowledge exchange between Chinese and Zimbabwean medical professionals, the ambassador added.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Harare.
(XHTV)