Not fewer than three thousand patients have benefitted from free eye care services in Dawakin Kudu and Warawa local government areas of Kano state.
The event, which was organized by a member of House of Representatives representing Dawakin Kudu and Warawa local government areas, Mustapha Bala Dawaki, in partnership with the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH), took place at Dawakin Kudu General Hospital.
In a chat with Chronicle, Mustapha Bala Dawaki said that the exercise was open to all residents under his consistency adding that the gesture was part of the constituency project for 2019. The house member also revealed that N50m was set aside for the exercise.
Meanwhile, the Coordinator of the outreach programme who doubled as Head of Ophthalmology Department of the AKTH, Dr. Sadiq Hassan, who spoke with Chronicle, advised people above the age of 40 years to go for eye check-up at least once every six month to maintain a good eye-sight.
He added that children too needed to be screened for hereditary eye problems.
He advised people to protect their eyes with either recommended photochromic glasses or sunshades when they deal with smoke, dust or light rays.
Most of the beneficiaries thanked the member for supporting them to regain their sight explaining how they never knew a short surgical procedure was the solution to their decade-long challenge.
A 74-year-old beneficiary, Dahiru Tela, who had bilateral cataracts for 10 years and could not see with his left eye, said the cataract had been extracted, adding that he visited many hospitals and received treatments that did not address his condition.
At the conclusion of the three-day medical mission, 200 eyes surgeries were performed; 250 cataract patients treated and corrective medicated lenses for visual improvement were provided to 500 persons. A total of 1,912 persons received a range of medications after consultations and screening by the team of experts.