442 thousand persons with poor vision received free eyeglasses

Following specific medical examinations, some 442,000 Moldovan citizens were provided with glasses free of charge as part of the programme of providing elderly and disabled persons with optical instruments, said Minister of Health Ion Ababii at a meeting called by PM Vasile Tarlev. According to the minister, there were no complaints on the part of the recipients. Next in the list for free eyeglasses are the persons with walking disabilities, for whom the medical examinations will be provided at home. The prime minister pointed out that the Government supports the implementation of the programme’s second stage. The project will expand to the region of Transnistria, and is expected to end by 1 December 2007. The “Ziarul de Garda” newspaper has previously reported that the glasses distributed by the Government are being bought from China at low prices and have a questionable quality. Furthermore, Ziarul de Garda wrote that the distribution campaign coincided with the campaign for the general local elections. The elderly and disabled persons, mainly in rural areas, didn’t have the chance to get medical examinations, and chose their eyeglasses at random.