Burmese military authorities are wooing eye patients by providing medical care free of charge in townships under Lasho district, Northern Shan State. They told patients to talk to their families to cast the 'Yes' vote in the referendum, said a Sino-Burma border news source.
On the orders of the northeastern military command, the township Women's Affairs Committee and the public health department held a meeting with eye patients on April 20 and assured free operation for eye diseases. Eye patients from each township had to come to Lasho on April 23.
"On April 23, about 2,000 eye patients from Mu Se, Nang Kham, Kut Khai, Kyauk Mae, Tang Yang and other townships arrived in Lasho. There was an average of 200 eye patients from each township. There were about 800 patients from only Kyauk Mae Township but the majority was old grandpas and grandmas, said a Lasho local.
Free eye check up was from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Lasho's city hall. However, most of them did not get operations done but received only medicines, said a daughter of an eye patient from Nang Kham.
Among 2,000 eyes patients, about 80 patients got appointment from medical workers over a period of two weeks. About three to four patients out of 200 patients from Nang Kham had operations done.
"But we are not sure yet whether operations will be done. When some patients tried to go to outside clinics to show their eyes they found all clinics closed. All doctors were busy at the city hall," said a woman from Nang Kham.
The idea of free eye treatment by the junta is part of a ploy too garner 'yes' votes from the public in the May 10 referendum, said a relative of a doctor.
"When the announcement was made about free eye check ups, foreign doctors were also present. When we arrived there, it was a waste of time and money and we were tired. Eye patients from Nang Kham had already gone back to their homes on April 24. The remaining patients will be checked on April 26 which is the last date," said the local.
Eye patients from each township went to Lasho by porter vehicles which were arranged by the township chairman. They did not have to pay any transport cost. However, the patients who got no medical care had to pay transportation costs while returning. These patients were angry.
