500 to get free eye treatment in Borno

The treatment, which begins today, is to be performed by an international charity organisation, Federation of Islamic Medical Association. (FIMA) – Save vision programme which has expatriates from Islamic countries especially from the Middle East and Asia provided with all medical facilities, lenses and drugs by the Islamic Foundation, established and being funded by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for global charity works.

Ndume told journalists while he was moving around Maiduguri to mobilise patients for the programme that screening centres have since been established in some parts of the state with opticians assessing and short listing those with different categories of eye defects so as to know those to undergo surgical operations, those to be provided with corrective lenses or drugs etc.

He said already, 200 patients have been short listed as at yesterday morning while more were being assessed.

He noted that the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital which was a committed partner, was to serve as the camp for the treatments which would last through out the week.

He however said that all medications have been freely provided by the Islamic Foundation while the expatriates don’t receive payments for their services as each of them sacrifices one month every year for charitable activities.

Ndume recalled that in January, some other expatriates under the same association were in Borno state, a visit he also facilitated during which over 500 persons with eye defects were treated freely, maintaining that he hoped that the programme would hold annually.

The minority leader said his concern for eye related problems was because it is common amongst poor people and given his background, coming from a poor family, he had no choice but to remember his constituency.

He also said that due to the strategic relevance of sight in human existence, he was motivated by the belief that “he who helps in providing sight to any one is guaranteed of enormous reward from God almighty.