Continuous Engagement With Stakeholders Reduced Eye Diseases – Sightsavers

By Teddy Daniels

A Non Governmental Organization in Kaduna State, Sightsavers International says continues engagement by critical stakeholders in the area of eye conditions and related problems have reduced the burden of the disease in the state.

The State Senior Program Manager of the Organization Mrs Anita Gwom stated this to newsmen in Kaduna during the annual World Sight Day celebration.

Mrs Anita Gwom explained that Sightsavers in partnership with the Kaduna State Ministry of Health has supported a comprehensive eye care project for close to twenty years in Kaduna, Sokoto, and Zamfara states.

“We have a comprehensive eye health program that we have supported for about two circles now, since 2002 which has helped reduce the burden of the disease, we have and are still doing a comprehensive screening, cataract and corrective surgery, management of glaucoma” she said.

She said within the year alone the organization has done the eye screening exercise and related issues for about 100 thousand people in Kaduna, Sokoto and Zamfara states.

The program officer called on Nigerian workers to reduce time spent on their computers and ensure regular check of their eyes in order to protect them from damage.

“We use this day to create awareness to the general populace on the need to protect their eyes.Love your sight at work, go for regular check up and ladies that engage in puting eye lashes should do so carefully”,she explained.

Mrs Anita Gwom appreciated the role ophthalmologist, donor agencies, and NGOs play creating awareness and reducing eye related diseases in the country.

Earlier in her remark, Kaduna State Commissioner for Health, Hajiya Umma Ahmed called on parents and guardians in the country to help regulate the time children spent on their phones due to negative consequences on their eyes.

The commissioner who appreciated Sightsavers for their continues engagement for better eye sight of the citizenry also advised parents to be deliberate in taking their children for regular eye check.

This year’s World Sight Day has the theme ‘Love Your Eyes at Work’,and it is estimated that over two billion people in the world have near or distance vision impairment.

Edited By Grace Namiji