NOA set to launch free eye care

The Nigerian Optometric Association (NOA) said it has concluded plans to launch a free eye service care programme for children code-named ‘My sight, my right’.

With over 285 million people visually impaired worldwide, the NOA has also called for more awareness on eye health and vision care among the populace with a view to preventing blindness through knowledge and information. According to the body, out of the 285 million, 80 per cent of the cases can be preventable, and four out of five blind people are needlessly impaired.

In an interview with The Guardian, the president of NOA, Dr. Echendu Damian, said the organization will use the programme to mark its 50 years anniversary coming soon.

He said: “As we mark our 50 years anniversary, we have a programme called my sight my right. It is for children between ages five and 14 to have free access to comprehensive eye care. We are using 150 clinics where the treatment would be free. What we are doing is to make sure Nigeria citizens have access to good eye care.

“Good eyesight and visual perception are fundamentals for safe driving and over 90 per cent of decisions made behind the wheels depend on good vision.”

Damian also tasked the Federal Government on the need to provide the organisation with more assistance for effective eye care delivery.

The president, who admitted that the government has been working tirelessly with the organisation to provide primary eye care, stressed the need for the government to do more.

According to him, the organisation has carried out awareness on the need to care adequately for their eyes adding that people are not hindered by the cost of services to treat themselves.

“Apart from delivering quality eye care services, the focus of the organisation is to make sure many of its members are employed in the public service and they receive appropriate remuneration,” he added.