By Martha Agas
Jos – A National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, Dr Sam Eze has organised free eye checks, counselling, consultation and free glasses to Dogon Karfe community in Jos North L0cal Government Area.
The Corps member, who conducted the exercise as part of his community development service on Friday in Jos, said his project was tagged: ‘Better Vision.`
He noted that majority of the beneficiaries were the less privileged in the society, who can hardly provide their basic needs, thus the objective of the exercise to cushion the financial responsibility of their medical bills.
According to him, the exercise is targeted at treating a minimum of 150 people in the community.
“Most of the eye defect patients, who come to the Plateau Specialist Hospital where I serve, are obviously the less privileged in the society.
“Most of them feel that coming to the hospital for mere itching or discharge is a luxury and time wasting.
“The itches they normally ignore may be symptoms of eye diseases like cataract and glaucoma among others, which may become complicated before they visit the hospital,’’ he said.
He said that some eye ailments like glaucoma were peculiar in the North because of their environment, while cataract was most prevalent with the elderly.
Eze, who is a batch B, stream one corps member, explained that not all cases may be addressed, as the eye check was a hatchery for relief and unresolved cases would be referred to the appropriate quarters.
In his remarks, Mr Ibrahim Lawal, the Community Leader of Dogon Karfe commended Eze for his kind gesture.
He urged the NYSC to support them, since some of them were using their resources and seeking sponsorship to make such kind gesture feasible.
Lawal said the project of the corps member has exposed the area to the public domain where other needs like water supply, power and accessible roads can be addressed by individuals, government and organisations.
Mrs Ada Ellawule, an NYSC Inspector in the Local Government, advised community leaders to create the enabling environment for the corps members to embark on developmental projects, noting that some communities may be hostile and prevent them from executing their projects.