The ultra-modern Kanubhai Babla Lions Eye Bank in Nairobi
According to the Health Management Information at the Ministry
of Health, eye infections accounted for 1.6 per cent of diseases
causing morbidity in Kenya in 2007. This means that 453,975
Kenyans have lost or risk losing their sight.
Eighty per cent of blindness is preventable but sadly, corneal diseases
contribute about 19 per cent of avoidable blindness. Most
other forms of blindness occur in young people who would otherwise
be independent and economically useful to their families if
only they could regain their sight.
These people can have their sight restored by undergoing corneal grafting, a sight restoring operation whereby a healthy cornea of a deceased person is used to replace the impaired cornea of the blind or visually handicapped person.
Though there are competent eye surgeons in Kenya to undertake corneal surgeries, and despite the availability of modern surgical facilities, the number of corneal transplants performed locally is very low. Sadly, the last few years have seen these donations decrease dramatically while the demand for transplants has been going up.
In order to address the gap, the Lions Eye Hospital in Loresho established
the Kanubhai Babla Lions Eye Bank, the first eye bank
in east and central Africa. Named after Lions’ Kanubhai Babla,
an active member of the Lions Club of Mombasa, Pwani and
renowned philanthropist, the Lions Eye Bank obtains, medically
evaluates and distributes cornea tissues for corneal transplant.
The bank undertakes public awareness campaigns to highlight
the issue of corneal blindness and to motivate members of thepublic to save the sight of the blind persons by donating the corneas
of their departed relatives.
Lions SightFirst Eye Hospital has unveiled the first eye bank in east and central
Africa. The Kanubhai Babla Lions Eye Bank will significantly boost the hospital’s
efforts to restore eyesight in this region.
The ultra-modern building that will house the eye bank includes
specialty clinics including the Vitro-Retina, Diabetic Retinopathy,
Low Vision, Childhood Blindness, Lasik Centre, Glaucoma Units
as well as Lions medical Training Institute.
Finishes
Floors: These utilize a combination of porcelain tiles, ceramic
floor tiles and granite.
Walls: Interior walls are clad in a mixture of laminated paneling,
ceramic tiles and paint whereas the exteriors feature an arrangement
of fair-faced concrete, plaster, paint and curtain walling.
Ceilings: Internal roof are adorned with suspended acoustic and
painted plaster boards.
Project Team
Architect Chani Lall Partnership
Quantity Surveyor Armstrong & Duncan
Structural Engineers Civil Engineering Design
Electrical & Mech. Engineers Geomax Consulting Engineers
Main Contractor Lalji Meghji Patel & Co. Ltd
Electrical Installations Power Megger Ltd
Air conditioning Hotpoint Appliances
Lifts East African Elevator Co. Ltd
Water treatment plant Biobox EA Ltd
Aluminium windows and doors General Aluminium Fabricators
