Bantaeng, South Sulawesi (ANTARA News) - Hundreds of cataract patients from various districts in South Sulawesi Province have free operation at Anwar Makkatutu hospital in Bantaeng district in a charity program on Saturday, an official said.

Charity program coordinator dr Hikmah said here on Saturday that the cataract patients who did not have other ailment such as hypertension and the like had the free operation at the hospital.

Hikmah said the free cataract operation was conducted by Anwar Makkatutu hospital in cooperation with Bantaeng Family Welfare Movement (PKK), South Sulawesi Ophthalmologists Association (Perdami), and Mandiri Bank to mark the the 757th anniversary of Bantaeng district.

The cooperation to give free cataract operation in Bantaeng was the second of its kind after the first one with 62 cataract patients in Mei 2011.

Hikmah said a total of 185 cataract patients from the districts of Jeneponto, Gowa, Takalar, Bulukumba, and Bantaeng were registered but after a screening, only 100 of them were eligible to have the free operation.

"Of the 185 cataract patients, 85 failed to have the free operation because they suffered from hypertension, diabetes, and other ailments," Hikmah said.

Meanwhile, dr Andi Tenrisanna Devi SPM who represented Perdami
chairman at the charity program said such a program was conducted periodically in South Sulawesi and Central Sulawesi the number of cataract patients in the two provinces was still high.

"We hope from this social event the number of cataract patients in Indonesia in general and in Sulawesi in specific will be reduced," Andi Tenrisanna said.  (T.O001/F001)