GANDUJE LAUNCHES FREE EYE CARE SERVICES IN KANO
Kano
state governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje on Sunday launched the state
Free Eye Care /Eye Camp Programme, aimed at treating at least 44,000
patients across the 44 local government areas of the state.
Under
the programme, patients would be given drugs/medicaments, medical
glasses and undergo cataract and lid repair surgeries free.
Speaking
during the launching at Sir Sanusi General Hospital, Yankaba, in the
state capital, Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje said present
administration has initiated the free eye care programme, as part of its
human development agenda, to save people from visual impairment or
total blindness.
Noting
that empirical evidence has shown that at least three million Nigerians
are suffering from different kinds of eye problems while one million
are blind, the governor explained that with the state government’s
intervention, many people with visual challenges would be saved from
imminent blindness.
“We
are aware of the economic and social repercussions of blindness.
Cataract, which is the leading cause of blindness among our people, is
treatable. Yet, many people lack the money to treat it and other eye
problems, which lead to blindness” the governor lamented.
Governor
Ganduje stated, thus, that the programme was initiated to save the
people from blindness and avoidable visual impairment free, assuring
that the government would focus attention on preventing and curing eye
diseases.
Consequently,
he announced that the state government plans to procure and install
specialized equipment in some hospitals across the state and provide
surgical consummables to treat eye related problems.
The
governor expressed appreciation to UNICEF, WHO, M4H, CHAI and other
development partners for their support to the state government
especially in the area of health services.
Earlier,
the state Commissioner of Health, Dr. Getso Ibrahim said that eye
patients are expected to receive various degrees of treatment at several
centers across the state, explaining that at the Sir Sanusi Hospital
centre, 7,000 people from seven local government areas would benefit.
Also
speaking, the representatives of WHO, Dr. Bashir Abba and UNICEF, Mr.
Panchanan Achari, promised continued support to the state government to
ensure efficient healthcare delivery services.
In his remarks, the CEO of Sight Boost Nigeria Initiative, Dr.
Anas Lawan said that the initiative, in collaboration with Kano state
government, is aimed at reducing the prevalence of avoidable blindness
and low vision among the citizenry.
Some
of the beneficiaries of the programme, Yusuf Adamu Aujarawa and Binta
Dambatta thanked the state government for its foresight, saying it is a
pointer to the commitment of the government to improve the lot of the
common man.
Aminu K. Yassar
Press Secretary to the
Exec. Gov. of Kano state,
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