At least 1,156 persons in Ovbiogie community in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo have benefitted from a free medical eyes services intervention
The intervention was provided by an NGO, Care Vision Support Initiative (CAVSI), in partnership with the Federal Government, and funded by the TY Danjuma Foundation.
Speaking with newsmen at Ovbiogie, Dr Fwangshak Kumbak, team lead for CAVSI, said the five-day intervention began on Monday.
He said 1,264 persons registered for the free medical eyes services, but 1,156 persons reported for consultation.
He said 110 cataracts surgeries, 23 apterygial surgeries, six congenital cataracts, and two other surgeries were carried out on beneficiaries.
“We also carried out refraction with 716 glasses issued, while 688 drugs were dispensed.
“We screened 515 secondary school students, and 224 primary school pupils.
“We trained 16 teachers and 20 health workers from the locality on basic eye care services,’’ he said.
The team noted that it was gratifying to see that members of the community were anxious and concerned about their eyes.
Kumbak said this could not be unconnected with protocols experienced by patients when they went for eye care services, particularly for those resident in hard-to-reach areas.
He stressed that CAVSI and the TY Danjuma Foundation were empathetic to the plight of persons with various eyes challenges and hoped to increase the number of times the free medical service was carried out in the state.
He called on kind-spirited Nigerians to identify with the intervention by providing grants to the partners.
Also speaking, Ms Oluwatomi Ajayi, the Edo Coordinator of TY Danjuma Foundation said targeted beneficiaries for the intervention were 2,000.
Ajayi said that the foundation also targeted 200 cataracts surgeries, adding that paediatric surgery for children could not be immediately carried out in the community.
She said the intervention cost was about N14 million.
Some of the beneficiaries who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), expressed delight and appreciation of the FG/CAVSI/TY Danjuma Foundation intervention.
Some of them said they could not afford to miss the opportunity of the free intervention since the cost of eye surgery had kept them blind for long.
They prayed God to continue to preserve and provide for the partners, so they could continue to give succour to the poor.
A trader, Mrs Lovella Bello, said the team carried out surgery on her two eyes.
Bello said she decided to use the opportunity of the free medical intervention to undergo the surgery because of the high cost and the high cost of living which had prevented her from undergoing the surgery earlier.
Mr John Osazuwa, 82, a professional driver, who had cataract surgery on one eye said his eye problem had lingered for more than two years and had compelled him to stay off work.
“Today, I have undergone the surgery and I hope to return to driving, because it is not easy to depend on people to cater to you and to your needs,’’ he said.
Mr Agu Boniface, 62, and Mrs Maria Ediagbonya 82, who had cataract surgeries, also showered praises and prayers on the team. (NAN)