The Zambia Flying Doctor Service (ZFDS) flew specialist cataract surgeon Oliver Chenga into Mwansabombwe on Monday, December 1st, 2025, to conduct critical eye surgeries at Ng'anga Bilonda Hospital.

In just four days, the surgeon has performed 16 successful operations, including 10 cataract surgeries that are restoring sight and hope to residents who have long lived without access to specialized eye care.

The surgical team continues to demonstrate the transformative power of accessible healthcare, successfully completing multiple critical operations that had been out of reach for rural residents.

During the ongoing Mwansabombwe Surgical Camp, ZFDS successfully restored sight to a 74-year-old woman from Kasao Village in Kazembe, Mwansabombwe District, Luapula Province.

She began experiencing severely blurred vision at the beginning of this year. The deteriorating condition eventually left her completely blind and fully dependent on family members for daily activities.

In her community, fear and misinformation had spread about eye surgeries, with some claiming that the procedures involved removing patients' eyes entirely.

Despite these rumors, she came to Ng'anga Bilonda Hospital when she heard about the surgical outreach. After screening, she was scheduled for cataract surgery as part of the ZFDS programme.

She expressed gratitude for how warmly the medical team welcomed her and thanked God for the opportunity.

When her eye patches were removed this morning, the transformation was immediate and powerful.

She could see again—recognizing faces and objects instantly. Overcome with joy, she exclaimed, "If I had wings, I could have flown!" expressing the depth of her happiness at regaining her sight.

The moment was particularly significant given what she had endured: the ridicule from community members when they noticed her blindness, the isolation, and the despair that had consumed her.

Now able to see again, she had a powerful message for others suffering from similar conditions: come to Ng'anga Bilonda Hospital. She urged people to ignore the false information circulating in the community about eye surgeries and emphasized that the medical team is there to help, not harm.

The ZFDS surgical outreach continues at Ng'anga Bilonda Hospital, bringing life-changing interventions to those who need them most.