No fewer than 20,000 people with eye ailments across the 16 local government areas of Kwara State have benefited from a free medical outreach.
The outreach was organised by the Mohammed Ajia Ibrahim (MAI) Foundation.
Beneficiaries of the eye screening and treatment programme were also provided with prescribed drugs and eyeglasses.
Founder of the foundation, Mohammed Ibrahim spoke with reporters in Ilorin, the state capital during third phase of the programme at Balogun Gambari ward.
He said that it was part of activities to give back to society.
Mr. Ibrahim said that most of the beneficiaries were aged and poor.
He added that they could not take care of their sight, despite its importance in the body, due to present socio-economic situation in the country.
He said that about 5,000 people each benefited from the medical outreach in Kwara North and South senatorial districts, adding that about 10,000 beneficiaries were recorded in the Kwara Central senatorial district.
“Despite the eye being a major organ of our body, many of the people do not know how to care of their eyes due to present socioeconomic situation in the country. They can’t afford either drugs, eye drops or even screening. That’s why we came in and plan to sustain the intervention so that they do not lose their sight”, he said.
The retired superintendent of police said that the organisation planned to establish standard eye care centre in all the three senatorial districts of the state in future as part of service to humanity.
He lamented high poverty level among the people, urging the state government to improve on wealth creation, reduce youth unemployment and give full autonomy to local government system.
He said, “We have issues of high poverty rate as well as unemployment among our people, thus, high prevalence of crime. So, our traditional leaders and opinion leaders should talk out and challenge government to spend security vote in crime prevention and control.
“Government should be committed to security, create wealth and give full autonomy to local government system.”