A total of 941 cataract patients in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region have received free surgery during the second phase of the Sight First China Action.

Nearly 98 percent of the patients regained their eyesight, said Ma Qin, deputy secretary-general of the Xinjiang regional government.

This local program was under the Sight First China Action, which was launched in 1997 by the Chinese government and the Lion's Club International, one of the world's largest charity organizations.

The beneficiaries of the program were from impoverished families which could not afford the surgery, which costs about 6,000 yuan (723 US dollars) for both eyes of each patient.

The medical team has traveled 23 counties in four ethnic prefectures in Xinjiang from August 8-29. Apart from operating on patients, ophthalmologists of the medical team also taught the skills to local doctors.

To date, the number of cataract patients in Xinjiang is 100,000 -- increasing at a rate of 7,000 a year.
 
(Xinhua News Agency September 4, 2004)