(Inside Costa Rica) - "Hundreds of Nicaraguan people suffering from cataracts and pterigium (granulation tissue) will travel to Venezuela to have an eye operation, as part of the Vision Now Program, a diplomat source confirmed.

Venezuelan embassy second Secretary in Managua Franklin Coronado explained Prensa Latina the flight is delayed for technique reasons, but the 102 patients are going to be traveling during night hours towards the South American country.

He added this is the fifth group of Nicaraguans to have eye operations in Venezuela , since the Central American nation began last year to be benefited by the free health program sponsored by Caracas and Havana cities.

The official pointed out people of poor economic resources from eight States of the country and from the two autonomous regions of the Atlantic Coast will be traveling in this flight.

So far, almost 2,000 Nicaraguans have recovered their vision in Venezuela and Cuba, country that installed on May an Ophthalmologist Hospital in the surrounding areas of Managua, and during the upcoming months will be installing other two in both regions of the Caribbean.

The 27 Cuban experts, working at Ciudad Sandino Hospital, 9 miles north east this capital, carry out nearly 60 eye operations a day since two months ago.

More than 650,000 poor Latin American people, out from a goal of six million people for the next ten years, has benefited to date from Vision Now Program".