A non-governmental organisation (NGO), Guidance Community Development Foundation, has donated essential ophthalmic equipment valued at over N200 million to the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, as part of its ongoing commitment to supporting healthcare institutions in delivering quality eye care services to the community.
The equipment donated included three rotating sight tests, 15 prism bars, 200 sight tests, two tonometer MK2, six Cambridge low contrast gratings charts, five Knife House Sickle 8mm Satin, 500 Synoptophore Slides (various), two vision screeners, 400 Tear Duct Tubes (various sizes), and six packs of Micro-feather Scalpels.
The founder, Mr. Kabiru Adeniyi Adisa, said the NGO has been in the vanguard of donating items to groups, institutions, and organisations as well as giving succours to individuals.
Receiving the items on behalf of the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Alli Pate, and the UCH management, the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of UCH, Prof. Abiodun Jesse Otegbayo, expressed appreciation to the donor. Otegbayo thanked Mr Kabiru for the gesture, describing him as a rare personality who is passionate about the welfare and wellbeing of the less privileged in society.
The CMD noted that government funding to health institutions across the country is inadequate, saying support from like-minded individuals and institutions would always be appreciated.
He said such a gesture would ensure that the common man gets the best of medical services.
The CMD later appointed an ophthalmologist, Prof. Olusola Olawoye, to chair a committee that will see to the effective distribution and use of the equipment.
Earlier, the President-General of the NGO, Kabiru, said the donation was a means of giving back to the society for the benefit of the people, especially the less privileged.
The president-general disclosed that he set up the NGO in 2000 to give back to the community that nurtured him. He said the foundation had, similarly, donated medical equipment worth over N100m a few years ago to Iwo General Hospital in Osun State
“Our organisation started donating something like this since 2000, after my youth service when I saw the need to support the government’s efforts, knowing that the government cannot do it alone and that private organizations, well-meaning individuals, and corporate organizations can support the government so that the downtrodden can smile,” he said.
“We also embarked on empowerment programmes annually since 2014 where we train people in various vocational skills and give them working tools and equipment after their training. The last empowerment programme we held last May 2024.
“We empowered over 200 people, and one of them got an electronic tailoring machine worth N480,000 among others. We also embarked on advocacy, we are among the pioneer NGOs that started HIV counseling and testing in Nigeria.”
Adisa therefore appealed to like-minded people to join hands in supporting government efforts in alleviating the sufferings of the poor and needy saying: “With this, the needs of the community will be addressed, and it will be better for all of us.”
Others who appreciated the gesture included the Special Assistant to the CMD, Mr Kunle Alao, who commended the donor describing him as someone who is dedicated to the cause of humanity as he was fondly called ‘community servant’ when he first knew him in Iwo, Osun State.
The Head of Department of Ophthalmology in the hospital, Prof. Tunji Oluleye, also expressed gratitude to the donor of the specialised equipment which he said is of high-quality worth over N200 million.
Present at the event were Prof. Olubukola Adeshina, Mr. Kolawole Oyeyemi, Mr. Kayode Adeshina, Mr. Kabiru Salami, and Mr. Ibrahim Kareem, among others.
