‎By Charles Olewezi

‎Musa Abdul is a 24-year-old who was full of life until life happened to him. A self-employed young man, Musa went about his daily business, until the unfortunate happened to him, and he developed an eye problem.

‎His desire to look for a solution took him to the wrong places. He had tried several local and herbal remedies to no avail. He was even advised by a ‘local healer’ to put his urine into his eyes as a solution.

‎Happily, Musa headed home and did as he was advised. He then urinated in a container and put some into his problematic eyes.

‎However, instead of getting relief, he discovered that he was gradually going blind. He was rushed to the hospital where he was attended to by an eye specialist.

He narrated his case to the eye doctor who carried out all necessary tests on his eyes, and gave a frightening report that Musa may not be able to see again with his eyes due to an infection in his eyes. It was discovered that Musa had gonorrhea, syphilis, and bacterial infections transmitted through unprotected sexual contact.

‎The urine Musa put into his eyes contains gonorrhea and syphilis, which caused severe damages to his eyes.

Musa’s case is just one of many cases where eye health patients have been given the wrong advice and treatment for eye-related problems, especially in local communities where healthcare facilities appear to be expensive.

‎It is in a bid to eradicate such preventable eye-related problems in the society, especially in local communities that two non-profit organisations — Eyesavers Heathcare Initiative (EHI) and Michael Dato Relief Foundation (MDRF) — recently came together to organise free eye screening and enlightenment programme in Kwamba community, Suleja, Niger State. The eye health screening and intervention project is aimed at improving access to affordable and quality eye care services for members of the community.

‎The project is designed to provide subsidised eye care screening, essential medications, and prescription of eyeglasses, while establishing a structured referral pathway for individuals requiring further medical or surgical eye care. This initiative, according to the organisations, is driven by the urgent need to reduce avoidable visual impairment and blindness.

‎In a brief health talk at the event, the Executive Director of Eyesavers Healthcare Initiative, Dr Ebeogu Ogochukwu Wilson, stressed the importance of caring for the eyes given the strategic position they occupy in the body. She described the eye as a very sensitive organ that must be protected from every form of danger or harm, and advised the over 120 participants at the event to go for regular eye checks to avoid preventable eye-related challenges and diseases.

‎She dismissed the erroneous narrative surrounding the wearing of eyeglasses, especially prescribed ones, stating that glasses are meant to help and preserve the eyes. Dr Wilson cautioned the participants against patronising unqualified eye care personnel and centres because many have lost their sight through such.

‎Also speaking at the occasion, the President of Michael Dato Relief Foundation, Helen Kande Umar, advised the people of the community to avail themselves of such opportunities and check their eyes.  She urged the people to always make their health a top priority to avoid health breakdown, and in some cases, sudden death.

‎Free eye screening services were offered to all the participants by the team of doctors and eye specialists from EHI during the one-day event. Also, subsidised eyeglasses, as low as N2,000 each, were provided for those who needed them. Patients requiring further tests and treatments were referred to an eye care facility at Suleja.

‎Many of the beneficiaries thanked the organisers for the programme, noting that the exercise will, no doubt, reduce incidences of blindness in their community.