Experts Task Nigerians on Eye Care to Avoid Blindness
Health professionals have issued a strong call to Nigerians, urging them to prioritize regular eye examinations and take proactive steps to safeguard their vision to prevent blindness. This advice was delivered during a comprehensive two-day free eye care outreach held at the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital (FNPH) in Yaba, Lagos. Participants, including doctors and other medical experts, stressed that early detection of eye defects is a critical factor in averting blindness and maintaining ocular health.
Outreach Program Details and Sponsorship
The outreach initiative was organized by the hospital as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) efforts, in collaboration with Gift Health Plus (GHP) Incorporated, a United States-based non-profit organization founded by Dr. Chamberlain Nwanne. Dr. Olugbenga Owoeye, the Chief Medical Director of FNPH Yaba, who also underwent an eye examination at the event, explained to journalists that the program aims to address the challenges many people face in accessing essential eye care services. He highlighted that such initiatives are vital for reaching underserved communities and providing much-needed medical support.
Expert Insights on Eye Health
Dr. Chukwemeka Achimnole, an optometrist involved in the outreach, praised the initiative as commendable and encouraged individuals with eye issues to take advantage of the program. He elaborated on the importance of ocular health, stating, "It is a very good initiative for us to try to come around to screen those that have one or two ocular issues because as an optometrist, my main line of focus is ocular eye health. So, I am here to screen some patients to see if they have any pathological or refractive condition. We will take care of refractive conditions, but refer pathological issues to the nearest hospital."
Dr. Achimnole further emphasized the need for routine eye care, advising, "Everybody should take their eye health seriously. Go for routine check every year. If you have any underlying health issue, please visit any clinic or any facility to take care of your body and your eye health issues because the eye is very delicate to the body. It is the window to the body."
Mission to Reach Vulnerable Populations
Chika Achibiri, a director at GHP present at the event, outlined the organization's primary goal: to assist the most vulnerable individuals who have limited or no access to medical care. He detailed their efforts, saying, "We majorly do medical missions in the prisons and some other government facilities. These are people who don't have real access to Medicare. So, this is free. We're not charging money for this. Most of the medications and other things we use are donations majorly from the U.S."
Achibiri also shared information on their ongoing activities, noting, "Last week, we were at Aba, Abia State. After this, we are going to Kano. Sometime last year, we were at the Kirikiri correctional facility for the women. We were also at Mbaise, Imo State. We are planning another one for the men later in the year. We do about 10 programmes in a year." This highlights the extensive reach and commitment of GHP in providing free eye care services across various regions in Nigeria.
In summary, this eye care outreach underscores the critical need for increased awareness and accessibility to eye health services in Nigeria. By promoting regular check-ups and early intervention, health experts aim to significantly reduce the risk of blindness and improve overall public health outcomes.
