Felix Omoh-Asun in Benin
The Edo State Government is collaborating with Tantita and Jovason Group and Africa Cataract and Eye Foundation to carry out free eye surgeries in Benin, the Edo State capital.
The free cataract surgeries are currently being conducted at the Edo Specialist Hospital, Benin City, and a health facility in Ologbo community, Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of the state.
Founder of the Africa Cataract and Eye Foundation, Dr. Mejuya Okorodudu, a renowned ophthalmologist, said cataract was not restricted to elderly people, stressing that children could be born with the condition or develop it at an early age.
He explained that early treatment was particularly important for children because prolonged cataract could interfere with the development of the visual centre of the brain.
“Any time you hear that a child is blind, we want you to bring that child to us as soon as possible,” he said.
According to him, while an adult who loses sight later in life may regain vision after cataract surgery, a child who has never developed normal visual stimulation could suffer permanent visual impairment if treatment is delayed.
He therefore appealed to parents not to ignore signs of poor vision in children or delay treatment because of financial considerations.
Okorodudu said the foundation’s intervention was targeted mainly at rural and riverine communities where poor residents suffering from blindness often have limited access to specialist eye care.
“Cataract blindness is the only blindness we can reverse,” he said, urging people suffering from cataract to seek treatment rather than resort to traditional practices.
He also dispelled the misconception that cataract surgery involved removing the eye, explaining that the cloudy lens is removed and replaced with an artificial lens.
According to him, cataract surgery takes about 10 to 15 minutes in many cases, with patients beginning to regain useful vision shortly afterwards.
He disclosed that 138 cataract surgeries had been performed at Ologbo before the latest phase of the intervention in Benin City.
He put the average value of the surgery and medication provided to each beneficiary at about N450,000.
The ophthalmologist, however, explained that the cost of cataract surgery could be significantly reduced through large-scale interventions because of economies of scale.
Also speaking, Edo State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Cyril Oshiomhole, described the intervention as a demonstration of the state government’s commitment to providing accessible healthcare for poor residents.
Oshiomhole said the programme was in line with the administration’s promise to provide healthcare for the poorest and most vulnerable members of society.
Oshiomhole also appealed to the media to publicise the intervention to enable more residents with cataract and other eye problems to seek appropriate medical care.
The Managing Director of Edo Specialist Hospital, Dr. Anthonia Njoku, commended partners for the intervention, adding that it aligns with Governor Monday Okpebholo’s vision of accessible healthcare for residents.
Meanwhile, a seven-year-old girl, Falilah Lukman, is one of the beneficiaries of the free cataract surgery programme.
Falilah is among the 200 beneficiaries of the intervention by the collaboration so far.
Okorodudu said Falilah’s case underscored the need for parents to seek immediate medical attention whenever they notice vision problems in their children.