By Awayi Kuje
Akwanga (Nasarawa State) – A Non -Governmental Organisation (NGO), Seeing is Believing (SIB), says it offered free eye healthcare services to 1.5 million Nigerian children in the last three years.
Dr Juliana Nathaniel, the Programme Director of the NGO in Nigeria, disclosed this on Wednesday at the final closeout and dissemination meeting with stakeholders and other partners of the organisation in Akwanga, Nasarawa State.
Nathaniel said the aim of the programme is to contribute to the reduction of avoidable blindness and visual impairments through the provision of child eye health services to about 1.5 million children from the ages of zero to 14 years free of charge.
“Seeing is Believing programme is a three-year comprehensive child eye health in Nigeria, started in 2017 and will end this January, 2020.
“Funded by Christoffel Blinden Mission International in collaboration with the government of Plateau and Nasarawa States as well FCT, Abuja, tagged ‘cluster two, seeking to make child eye health services available and accessible.
‘Through the promotion, prevention, medical care including education targeted at vulnerable children, It has been implemented in 11 states of the federation divided into four clusters,” she said.
Nathaniel said that the programme enabled children who were not able to have access to eye healthcare services to access it freely.
The programme director advocated the need for governments to pay special attention to child eye health in Nigeria in order to boost their health status and for the overall development of the country.
Also speaking, the Nasarawa State Commissioner for Health, Pharm. Ahmed Yahaya, and the Plateau Commissioner for Health, Dr Nimkong Ndam- Lar, commended the NGO for the programme.
Yahaya, represented by the Director, Medical Services in the state Ministry of Health, Dr Ekom Haruna, and Ndam- Lar, represented by the Director Medical Services, Plateau Hospitals Management Board, Dr Dady Lohdip, noted that it has contributed in tackling the child eye health challenges in various communities of the two states.
The Nasarawa State Desk Officer, Seeing is Believing Programme, Dr Jacob Danboyi, called for advocacy by the leaders of the programme to the higher authorities for the programme to be sustained.
He said that the programme has brought relief to so many children who could have gone blind.
On his part, the Executive Secretary, Nasarawa state Primary Education Board, Alhaji Mohammed Dan-Azumi, represented by a board member, Alhaji Ja’afaru Ango, said the board would collaborate with the organisation to ensure children of primary schools acquire free eye health services to enable them study well. (NAN)