However, she is aware of the inherent risk in the role: “It’s very risky, especially when we have challenges when it comes to protective clothing. There isn’t enough. We have gloves and a mask, which I fear is not enough. We need gumboots, we need the gear. It’s risky, but we are trying our best.” Bwalya tells us, though, that she is very proud of the work she’s doing, “because we’re saving lives. Though I feel bad for my eye patients because they have nowhere to go…but I feel so good that we’re saving lives.”
Despite Bwalya’s pride in her role fighting coronavirus, her passion for eye care means she’s itching to get back to her patients: “People are really suffering a lot. It’s a huge challenge. Where we are, in a rural setting, they use mostly traditional medications. Now that the hospital is closed, they will use these herbal things, which might damage the eye – so it’s really a challenge… I am praying to get back to my eye patients every day. I really can’t wait. There will be a backlog of patients - a lot of them. We have to be prepared for that. People are suffering. We need to go out into the community and deliver eye services.”
Thanks to generous donations, and the support of the UK government, Bwalya received crucial training in eyecare – and that previous training is now helping Zambia’s fight against coronavirus. Hopefully, it won’t be too long before she can return to her role fighting blindness.