By Raymond Gukas, Jos
The Sightsavers Nigeria has rolled out a free eye screening and treatment exercise to journalists and their family members after it collaborated with the leadership of the Correspondents’ chapel of the NUJ, Plateau state for the unique health benefits of the sight.
Conducted at the secretariat of the union in jos, the state capital, several persons where issued reading glasses and medications after the screening exercise by a team members of specialists from the organisation.
Declaring open the exercise, the state Commissioner for Information and Communication, Musa Ashoms, appreciated the collaboration which he described as timely and added it will go along way to correct the eyes.
According to him, the State government began the parnership with sightsavers because of the health challenges associated with sights, and in view of the importance of the eyes which are prone to exhaustion, it became necessary to save sights, and added he was sure the exercise would greatly benefit the beneficiaries.
He stressed that the partnership has given birth to two centres in the state and it’s intended to benefit the general public with eye defects across the state.
In a remark, the Chairperson of the NUJ in the state, Comrade Ayuku Pwaspo appreciated the collaboration, which did not only benefitted the Correspondent’s chapel, but members of other chapels that made up the union and their families.
She called on other organisations to emulate the gesture of the “sightsavers ” by joining hands with the union to save members from avoidable illnesses as well as other challenges that remains a threat to the society.
Chairman of the chapel, Polycap Auta, said the eye tests and screening was carried out free of charge by sightsavers Nigeria, and it was to mark this years theme of the World Sight Day, which is “love your eyes, with particular focus on the work place” he commended the organisation for finding the chapel worthy for the wonderful collection.
The senior programe Manager, eye health, sightsaver Nigeria, Doctor Selben Penzin said the need for this is also for early detection of any defect that may hinder effective use of the sight organ, since journalistsneed to check the sight organ occasionally because of their work.
Dr. Penzin equally advised people to ensure that they regularly screen their sights once a year since the eyes does not have a replacement if damaged.
Hundreds of journalists, their family members and members of the public that thronged the venue of the exercise benefited in the optical services.
Apart from the eye glasses and other optical medications that were issued free of charge, those with critical cases were referred to eye specialists hospitals and others who are domiciled in the two centres of sightsavers in Mangu and Shendam LGAs for further examinations including surgeries.
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