Visually impaired persons take over FMC as NEDC, Kolmarg offer free services
Jethro Yerga, Jalingo
The premises of Federal Medical Center Jalingo, Taraba State, has been taken over by Visually impaired persons, following free eyes services organized by the North East Development Commission in collaboration with Kolmarg Eyesight Foundation at the hospital
The exercise which is billed to last for only three days, has already received an overwhelming population of visually impaired persons who have continued to throng in to seek for the free medical attention
Interacting with our reporter at the hospital, the coordinator of the program, Prof Olukorede Adenuga, expressed shock with the large number of Visually impaired persons that turned up for the medical attention for just the first day of the exercise
He stated that they had targeted 600 cataract surgeries, 20 minor surgeries and only 600 glasses to be dispensed to deserving persons in the LGA aside screenings and other services but get to discover that just for the first day, the patients out numbered their target.
“This exercise is expected to be carried out across the three senatorial zones of Taraba State. We earmarked two Local Government Areas in each of the three zones of the state for the exercise
“In the Northern part of the state, we are here in Jalingo and we hope to move to Yorro Local Government Area. In Central part we will camp in Sardauna and Gassol LGAs while in the Southern part of the state, we will be in Wukari and Ibi LGAs respectively
“In each of our camps, we shall be conducting screening of thousands of people. We shall be conducting 600 cataract surgeries, 20 minor surgeries and trichiasis caused by glaucoma in each of the camps.
“We have prepared for 600 glasses to be dispensed free of charge to deserving patients in each of the camps, even as we shall be treating diabetic eye diseases and a lot of other common eye challenges in these rural areas”. He added.
The optometrist who identified glaucoma as the leading cause of blindness, urged citizens of the state to come up en mass for check up, explaining that glaucoma can not be treated but if detected early, the person’s sight could be preserved and the vision restored
Earlier at the flag off ceremony of the program, the Managing Director of NEDC, Muhammed Alkali, said the program was in line with the mandate of the Commission and was aimed at providing succour to visually impaired persons in the underserved communities of the state
Represented by the Taraba State coordinator of the commission, Bashir Hamanjoda, the MD reiterated the commitment of NEDC to providing free eyecare services to bridge the gap in Vision health across the six states of the zone
He noted that various statistics have shown that an estimated population of 1.3 million persons were blind as at 2020 and the greatest proportion of those people were actually from the northern part of the country which include Taraba State
Hence, the program was build up to provide equitable and accessible free eyecare for the underserved communities of the region
Alkali noted that the program which is being run simultaneously across the six states of the zone, was aimed at conducting cataract surgeries, minor surgeries, and trichiasis caused by glaucoma, even as free eyes glasses would also be distributed free to deserving patients across three zones of each of the states
He encouraged the beneficiaries to adhere strictly to the various prescriptions given them by the experts, reiterating that the commission would continue with its mandate of empowering communities and transforming lives to create a world where clear vision would become fundamental right for all manner of persons irrespective of their economic or social status
Earlier in their separate good will messages at the occasion, the Medical Director, Federal Medical Center Jalingo, Mrs Aisha Shehu Adamu who was represented by the Head of Clinical Services, Joseph Kuni and the Emir of Muri Abbas Njida, represented by his secretary, Alh Usman Gassol, all appreciated the NEDC and Kolmarg foundation for taking up the bold step to reach out to people at grass root at such critical time with such remarkable succour.
