…eye specialist’s suspension leaves parent in distress
Mathatisi Sebusi
WHEN ‘Mamolemohi Ramokotjo’s five-year-old daughter finally smiled again after years of agonising eye pain, it felt like a miracle.
For the first time since her birth, hope had returned — thanks to the intervention of Dr Wenjun Fan, the only eye specialist at Maseru District Hospital.
But that hope has since vanished after Dr Fan was suspended for three months with pay, effective 24 October 2025, for allegedly disclosing confidential information to the media.
His absence on suspension, pending investigation, has left dozens of patients — many of them children — stranded and in pain.
For parents like Ms Ramokotjo, the news could not have come at a worse time.
A mother’s desperate plea
Sitting in the waiting area of the hospital’s eye department, Ms Ramokotjo clutches a small plastic bag of medication — the same pills her daughter has been taking for weeks since the specialist’s suspension.
“My daughter had her left eye removed on 23 September, and Dr Fan had scheduled an artificial eye replacement three weeks later,” she says softly.
“But after his suspension, everything stopped. We were told to wait until he comes back.”
Her daughter’s medical journey has been long and agonising.
Born prematurely and kept in an incubator at Queen ‘Mamohato Memorial Hospital (Tšepong), the baby’s eyes had shown signs of swelling — something doctors at the time said was normal for preterm infants.
“Three months later, I realised she wasn’t responding to movement,” Ms Ramokotjo recalls.
“When I went back to Tšepong, I was told it was too late — that if I had come earlier, her sight could have been saved.”
For years, she took her child for routine check-ups with little progress.
“The eye was turning blue, swelling, and causing her pain,” she says. “Then, finally, I met Dr Fan.”
Hope restored — then taken away
At Maseru District Hospital, Dr Fan conducted thorough tests and diagnosed that the child’s eyes were severely damaged and required urgent surgery.
“He explained everything clearly. He told me one eye had to be removed immediately, and that once it healed, he would insert an artificial eye before proceeding to the other one.”
After the successful removal of one eye, the child’s constant pain subsided. For the first time in years, she could sleep peacefully. But before the next procedure could take place, the specialist was gone.
“When I returned for follow-up, the nurse told me there was nothing they could do. She just gave me the same drugs and told me to come back when Dr Fan returns.”
Search for help
Desperate, Ms Ramokotjo sought help beyond the hospital. She contacted Tsolo MP Molothoane Matsiba, who in turn reached out to Health Minister Selibe Mochoboroane.
“The minister referred me to Dr ’Makose Ranyali (Director General of Health Services) who assured me that my child’s operation would be completed — but that I first had to go through Queen ‘Mamohato Memorial Hospital.”
However, Ms Ramokotjo is reluctant to return to QMMH, where her daughter’s eye problems began.
“I begged them to transfer us to Bloemfontein or allow Dr Fan to perform the surgery. I just want my child to live without pain.”
Specialist warns of worsening backlog
In a previous interview, Dr Fan confirmed his suspension but expressed concern about the welfare of his patients.
“This (suspension) came at a very critical time. I had more than 10 children booked for squint eye surgeries in November, and others for eye evisceration and artificial eye implants. These are procedures only I can perform in the country.”
He warned that delayed surgeries could have life-long consequences.
“Children with squint eyes risk missing their critical surgical window. If they are not operated on soon, they will suffer permanent damage.”
The specialist also revealed that many cataract patients were waiting for operations — but the hospital lacks essential equipment such as microscopic lenses and consumables.
“The Ministry doesn’t seem to understand the urgency. These are people’s lives — and most of them are children.”
Maseru District Hospital responds
When contacted for comment, Maseru District Hospital Medical Superintendent, Dr Mabatho Masupha, referred questions to the hospital’s Public Relations Officer, Keketso Motanyane.
Ms Motanyane said that ophthalmic nurses were currently managing the department and handling procedures within their scope of practice.
“These nurses are trained to assist with basic eye care and artificial eye fittings. For complex surgeries beyond their capacity, patients are referred to Queen ‘Mamohato Memorial Hospital.”
However, the Lesotho Times has established that the two nurses can only clean and dress the eye or prescribe medication but cannot perform any surgeries.
Uncertain future
For now, Ms Ramokotjo and her daughter are caught in limbo — waiting for a doctor who may or may not return soon.
“Every day she asks me when we are going to see the doctor,” the mother said, tears welling up.
“I don’t have an answer for her. I just tell her to be strong.”
As bureaucratic investigations continue, children like hers are left in pain — reminders of how fragile Lesotho’s public health system has become when one doctor’s absence brings everything to a standstill.
