The Lagos State Ministry of Health and the Consulate of the People’s Republic of China have conducted free eye surgeries on eight children to address blindness.
The Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr Olusegun Ogboye, disclosed this during his visit to the beneficiaries, adding that the outreach aimed at restoring the sight of residents, particularly children.
Ogboye, in a statement signed by the ministry’s Director, Public Affairs, Tunbosun Ogunbanwo, on Sunday in Lagos noted that: “The focus of this outreach is in ensuring a brighter future for children with cataracts.
“Government is committed to improving access to quality eye care services and preventing avoidable blindness”.
He disclosed that the ministry conducted several outreaches under the state Blindness Prevention Programme to support the routine health care for indigent citizens.
Ogboye commended the Chinese Consulate and the Chinese Community and Enterprises for their productive collaboration.
Speaking, the Representative of the Consul-General, People’s Republic of China, Mr Lei Yu noted that members of the Chinese community in Nigeria saw Nigeria as their home and would render assistance that could improve the lives of the needy.
“This is just the beginning and we will continue to do more and more, and aside from the eye surgeries we are also doing a lot in education”, he said.
Yu applauded the state government for its support in the success of the free eye surgical outreach programme.
Similarly, Mr Temitope Tomiluyi, father of two of the beneficiaries, expressed gratitude for the laudable initiative, saying his twin boys benefited from the free eye surgery.
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“We visited Ijede and Epe General Hospitals, several tests were conducted on them, and it was discovered that the cataract was almost covering their eyes.
“The cost of operating one eye is very high, not to talk of operating the four eyes.
“We came here on Monday and we were told the operation would be carried out on Friday and all costs have been paid”, he said.
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