The popular Ibom Hall in Akwa Ibom is filled to the brim as more and more people are turning out to be screened for diverse eye problems to curb preventable blindness. The screening exercise began since 8am, and in few hours from now, treatments based on what is diagnosed will begin. All treatments raging from surgeries to giving of reading glasses and drug packs are free.
Partnering with the Akwa-Ibom State Government, 6,000 patients are expected to benefit from the project (2,000 cataract surgeries, 2,000 pairs of glasses and 2,000 drug packs) which will run from January 11 to January 30, 2016.
The MTN Foundation Eyesight Restoration Intervention Scheme (MTNF EyeRIS) in partnership with Eye Foundation Centre for the Prevention of Blindness (EFCPB) is aimed at curbing preventable blindness in Nigeria by conducting free cataract surgeries and providing free reading glasses and drug packs to Nigerians.
In phase 1, in partnership with respective State Governments, more than 34,000 patients in 6 States (Abia. Delta, Jigawa, Niger, Osun, & Sokoto) benefitted from the project, made up of 10,610 cataract operations and distribution of 11,946 pairs of glasses and 11,808 drug packs.
In phase 2, Akwa-Ibom, Ekiti, Kwara, Imo, Ogun, and Ondo States have been selected for the project. Working with the various State Governments, the intervention has been successfully completed in Ogun, Imo, Ondo and Kwara States where 7,158 cataract surgeries were performed, 8,000 pairs of glasses and 8,000 drug packs distributed.
A section of the hall is also dedicated to SIM registration for MTN users who might not have registered prior to now.
See pictures from the screening exercise....
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