As part of efforts to help children with eye illnesses, an international charity working to prevent avoidable blindness, Sightsavers on Thursday donated ophthalmic equipment and consumables worth N15.4million to Kaduna state government.
Items donated include pen torch 7, trial lens set 2, retinoscope 2, direct ophthalmoscope 2, eye occluded 13, logmar 4 metre V/A chart(Lea chart) 320 pieces, plastic spectacle frames (girls) 960 pieces, metal spectacle frames (girls) 240 pieces, plastic spectacle frames (boys) 480, metal spectacle frames(boys)240.
Other equipment donated include coloured spectacle frames (boys) 150, +5.00 to +.5:50 lenses 30 pairs, +0.25 to +4.50 lenses 673 pairs, +0.25 to -4.25 lenses 579 pairs, plano to -3/-2 cyl 228 pairs, plano to +3/-2 cyl 370 pairs, posters (childhood cataract) 11,450, posters (retino blastoma) 1.450, 3m visual acuity chart 20, trial frame (paediatric) 4, occluder (long handle) 6, chloramphenical eye drop 460 bottles, mydriacyl eye drop 23 bottles and 460 tubes of tetracycline eye ointment.
Presenting the items to the state government at the Kaduna office of Sightsavers, the Country Director, Dr. Sunday Isiaku appealed to the state government to ensure that the items are used for purposes f or which they are donated.
Isiaku mentioned that Sightsavers in partnership with Kaduna state government and the National Eye centre had provided free eye care services to children, hence, the items donated are expected to be used to restore sight of children in the state.
“Sightsavers reserves the right to withdraw the items in line with its policy if they are not used for the purpose for which they have been donated,” he said.
Receiving the donation on behalf of the state government, the permanent secretary of the ministry of health, Shehu Usman Mohammad commended Sightsavers for the donation; assuring that the items will help restore children’s sight as well as help them have access to education.