Category: Uncategorized

Moses Emorinken, Abuja

The federal government has restated that it is currently working to integrate oral healthcare into the Primary Health Care (PHC) in order to scale up interventions to reach the undeserved, especially those in the grassroots areas of the country.

The Director of Hospital Services of the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH), Dr. Joseph Amedu, who disclosed this at the press briefing to commemorate this year’s National Oral Health Week, with theme: ‘promoting oral health at the grassroots level’, Monday in Abuja, explained that although oral health is very important, it is mostly taken for granted with several factors contributing to the problems of accessing dental care in Nigeria.

According to him, “The National dental healthcare policy targets the integration of oral health care into Primary Health Care, which we aim to achieve by development collaborations with appropriate stakeholders like the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), World Health Organisation (WHO), as well as oral health product manufacturers like Unilever to address the risks involved in oral diseases such as malnutrition, poor oral hygiene, smoking, refined sugars, and to provide the basic package for oral health care in PHC centers nationwide.

“Therefore, the promotion of oral health at the grassroots level is very key to sustaining the healthcare of oral health. Oral care being the entrance to the body is very important in healthcare system generally”.

The Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, in his address explained that oral health is an integral part of general health and involves optimal functioning of the mouth and tissues in a manner that upholds individual self-esteem and enables him or her to contribute meaningfully to the society.

Represented by the Director of Human Resources at the FMoH, Dr. Aliyu Muhammed, he said, “Oral health problems are regarded as a public challenge. Although poor oral health is not life threatening, it reduces the overall health and productivity of affected persons; ultimately, it may have negative impact across society if it is not checked.

“Despite the dwindling economy, the dentistry division of the federal ministry of health has vigorously implemented the national oral health policy which was launched in the year 2012, particularly in the areas of oral health promotion, oral health service delivery and human resource development for oral health.

“The dentistry division of the department of hospital services of the FMoH has been collaborating with government and non-governmental partners to improve the oral health of Nigerians.

READ ALSO: Ogun East demands good roads, healthcare, others in 2020 budget

“Recall that Unilever Nigeria Plc signed a MoU with the FMoH to reach out to ten million Nigerian children across the six geo-political zones of the country during the 2016 national oral health week. Since then, about five million Nigerian school children have been reached on oral health education and behaviours in Abia, Lagos, Rivers, Ondo, Delta and Enugu state”.

He further added: “In order to obtain a more recent national data on oral diseases, the dentistry division in collaboration with non-communicable diseases division, will incorporate an oral health component in the national state survey on non-communicable diseases in Nigeria which will commence soon.

“The division has collaborated with the National Orientation Agency (NOA) in the last twelve months to enable it reach out to grass roots on improvement of oral health in Nigeria.

“Let me inform you that a robust policy on dental amalgam in Nigeria has been recently developed after a stakeholders meeting this year. The document is undergoing due process for its launch.

“The ministry in collaboration with WHO the training of trainers of national surveillance officers, national orientation agency officers and other healthcare workers on Noma control in the country. We have also developed the capacity of volunteers, traditional birth attendants, surveillance officers, community health extension workers and NOA officers in specific states such as Jigawa, Kebbi, and Akwa Ibom states”.

Our Reporter

In recognition of his continuous contributions, Oladimeji Oganla, a Lagos-based serial entrepreneur has bagged a Honorary Doctorate Degree of the Western Orthodox University (WOU), United Kingdom.

The philanthropist was decorated recently with the honorary Doctorate Degree of Arts in Leadership and Corporate Governance at the University’s campus in Accra, Ghana.

He was honoured alongside other distinguished personalities from other West Africa.

Oganla also seized the occasion to announce the launch of his charity tagged Dimeji Oganla Initiative For New Growth (DOING).

The real estate player said: “I feel entirely motivated and I also wish to do more. I have been doing this much not knowing that some persons have been taking note.

“This is about the first academic institution that would be honoring me, and its more strategic and commendable for me because it is an international institution. On behalf of myself, my brand and my family, we are totally excited and appreciative. It is indeed a milestone achievement.”

READ ALSO: Nigerian Fashion icon bags honorary Doctorate degree

On plans to expand his philanthropy to reach more people, Oganla said: “We would in a matter of weeks be launching into the public glare the “Dimeji Oganla Initiative for new growth (DOING).

“It is designed to eradicate poverty or better still reduce it drastically. We are not in the character of giving out fish rather we teach on how to fish.

“We would be partnering a lot of international organizations to achieve and drive this initiative. We would be building capacities In terms of training, mentoring, coaching to mention a few.

“As of this date, we have signed an understanding the African USA soccer recruitment management to shortlist our nationals who have over the years proven themselves and distinguished themselves academically. We will also be empowering primary school students with schoolbags, school books and other educational materials under our initiative.”
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To strengthen the reforms of the Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki led-administration aimed at improving the health and general wellbeing of residents in the state, the state government will on Tuesday, December 17, host the Edo State Health Insurance Summit.

In a statement, the Edo State Health Insurance Commission said the event is scheduled to hold at the Edo Hotel in Benin City and will host stakeholders in the health sector.

The summit with the theme: “Health Insurance for All: Policy, Process and Framework-Developing an All-Inclusive Coverage” will focus on policies and programmes aimed at achieving all-inclusive coverage in the Edo State Health Insurance scheme recently launched by Governor Obaseki.

Within a month after the launch of the Edo State Social Health Insurance Scheme under Edo State Health Improvement Programme (Edo-HIP), not less than 4,500 persons have enrolled into the scheme.

The Social Health Insurance Scheme/Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF) in the state in partnership with the Federal Government is targeted at addressing healthcare finance and reducing the incidence of out-of-pocket payment for health services. The programmes envisage a comprehensive revamp of basic, secondary and specialist care as well as innovative funding for the healthcare system for sustainability.

Read Also: Ondo govt. launches Child Health Insurance Scheme

 

According to the Edo State Health Insurance Commission, the Health Insurance Summit 2019 will have in attendance stakeholders in the Health Sector including labour unions, trade associations, religious organisations, tertiary institutions, Information Technology (IT) providers, States and National Health Insurance Scheme Operators, Health Maintenance Organisations (HMOs), pharmaceutical companies, banks and financial institutions.

Others include Development Partners, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), Medical and Health Associations/Regulators such as Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria (AGPMP), Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN), Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), among others.

Juliana Agbo, Abuja

 

The Federal Government and Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN), at the weekend signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for proper utilization of irrigation channels of the 12 River Basin Development Authorities (RBDA) to boost rice production across the country.

The River Basin Authorities include Anambra-Imo, Benin- Owena, Chad Basin, Cross River, Hadejia-Jama’are, Lower Benue and Lower Niger. Others are Niger Delta; Ogun – Osun; Sokoto – Rima; Upper Benue and Upper Niger Basin Authorities.

The President, RIFAN Mr. Aminu Goronyo, while briefing newsmen in Abuja, said that the Minister of Water Resources, Mr Suleiman Adamu gave the approval.

He said the approval would reposition and strengthen rice farmers to produce more and make Nigeria to become major economic nerve-centre in rice production line with government’s economic diversification policy.

READ ALSO: No loan defaulters among rice farmers—RIFAN boss

He added that the Minister described the move as his contribution towards the Presidential initiative to make Nigeria rice hub in Africa and ensure food security.

He said the move has become imperative as food demand rises due to growing populations and with the closure of borders increased agricultural output is crucial.

Goronyo added that while irrigation is essential for rice production improvement there is a need for complementary services, infrastructure, and institutions for greater impacts on production and wellbeing.

He averred that since agriculture across the country is currently rain-fed, increased availability of irrigation use by farmers  are very essential and in high demand.

 

 

Our Reporter

The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has tasked residents in the state to enrol for the State Social Health Insurance Scheme under the Edo State Health Improvement Programme (Edo-HIP), which is designed to ensure that they have access to affordable and quality healthcare services.

Obaseki said this in commemoration of the International Health Coverage Day marked by the United Nations, and its various health-focused organs.

He said, “As we mark the International Health Coverage Day, I urge residents in the state to take advantage of ongoing enrolment exercise for the Social Health Insurance Scheme, to enable them benefit from our healthcare programme planned to provide them with improved healthcare.

“As a government, we will continue to review the implementation of the scheme to ensure all segments of the society are captured to enjoy these healthcare services in revamped primary healthcare centers across the state.”

Read Also: Be good ambassadors, Obaseki urges Nigerian Army applicants

The governor said his administration embarked on revamping of the state’s primary healthcare system so it could be responsive to the needs of the society and serve as the first point of call to residents with health needs especially in the rural areas and villages, adding, “The primary healthcare reform will not only ensure access but affordability.”

Within a month after the launch of the Edo State Social Health Insurance Scheme under Edo-HIP, not less than 4,500 persons have enrolled in the scheme to enjoy a bouquet of benefits aimed at improving their health status and general wellbeing.

The Social Health Insurance Scheme/Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF) in the state in partnership with the Federal Government is targeted at addressing healthcare finance and reducing the incidence of out-of-pocket payment for health services. The programmes envisage a comprehensive revamp of basic, secondary and specialist care as well as innovative funding for the healthcare system for sustainability.

Obaseki said in line with the theme for the International Health Coverage Day, “Keep the promise,” his administration will continue to make provisions to deepen reforms for the delivery of quality and affordable healthcare to residents in the state.

“We have provided for more funding for the health insurance scheme in the 2020 budget. More than N2 billion was budget for the health insurance and other welfare programmes that would improve the quality of life of the people.

According to the United Nations, “The International Universal Health Coverage Day aims to raise awareness of the need for strong and resilient health systems and universal health coverage with stakeholder.”

By Patience Saduwa

The efforts to prevent the emergence of new TB cases worldwide as a way of ending the TB scourge received a boost recently at the just concluded 50th Union World Conference on Lung Health held in Hyderabad, India.

This important breakthrough in the centuries-old fight against tuberculosis came as a result of a partnership between Sanofi, Unitaid and the Global Fund who announced a two thirds reduction in Rifampentine (Priftin), a critically important drug used to prevent tuberculosis (TB).

The agreement with Sanofi brings rifapentine (Priftin) 150mg tablets down from €13.60/pack of 24 tablets to a price of €4.62/pack of 24 tablets, a 66 percent discount. The discounted price, it was announced, will be available to the public sectors of low-income countries, lower-middle income countries, and upper-middle-income countries with a high burden of TB and TB-HIV.

Speaking on the development, Jose Luis Castro, Executive Director of The Union, noted: “If we are to end the TB emergency, we need a prevention revolution. It is indeed timely that we are seeing such promising movement on all facets of prevention – vaccines, drug prices and new drugs – now we need to ensure that going forward, preventing wherever we treat becomes the new normal.”

Meanwhile, results from a TB vaccine study, presented at the TBScience 2019 as part of the Union Conference, showed a sustained level of protection against active tuberculosis (TB) and a positive step towards ending the TB emergency.

The vaccine, known as M72/AS01E and developed by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), contributed to preventing TB in 50 percent of people receiving it, representing a significant advancement towards ending the TB emergency. This would be the first new vaccine for preventing TB – the leading cause of death by infectious disease – in nearly a century. The only vaccine against TB currently available is BCG, which was developed in 1921 and does not provide proven and consistent protection in adults in TB-endemic countries.

Dr Paula I Fujiwara, Scientific Director of The Union said: “We are one more cautious, but exciting, step closer to a vaccine for TB.

“A vaccine is the ultimate prevention tool and the announcement today is welcome news, but as researchers discuss how to move the trial into its final phase, we simultaneously need to be doing all we can to prevent TB with medications that we already have at our disposal.

“TB is a disease that is preventable, treatable and curable, yet last year it killed 1.5 million people, more than HIV/AIDS. We cannot end the TB emergency unless we dramatically scale up prevention in those parts of the world where we are treating it. The cost of inaction is more unnecessary suffering and death”, said Dr Fujiwara.

The Phase 2b randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted at 11 sites in Kenya, South Africa and Zambia, in TB endemic regions. Final analysis, conducted after 36 months of follow-up, was published in the New England Journal of Medicine and presented at TBScience 2019, as part of the 50th Union World Conference on Lung Health. Now GSK will work with partners to build an end-to-end model to further develop the candidate vaccine ensuring it is progressed diligently.

Also at the press conference, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), reported that they had awarded US $30 million in first-year funding to establish new centres for immunology research to accelerate progress in TB vaccine development. Three institutions had been awarded the new contracts, which establish and provide up to seven years of support to determine the immune

At the first plenary of the Conference, entitled: ‘Ending the Emergency’, the panel looked to life after tuberculosis (TB), and called for more focus on the health and wellbeing of people after they are cured.

Dr Stellah Mpagama, of the Kibong’oto Infectious Disease Hospital, Tanzania, presented on ‘Optimising treatment to maximise health and wellbeing after TB’, pointing to evidence that the prevalence of depression in people with TB is three times higher than is seen with other diseases. Little is known about the burden of mental illness in post-TB patients, and Dr Mpagama emphasised the importance of understanding this burden, as an area for which new science is needed to guide action and mental health management strategies.

Speaking on her experiences as a patient with extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB), 19 year old Manasi Khade from Mumbai, noted that she was heartbroken to receive the news and she experienced poor mental health during her period of home isolation. Manasi looked forward to getting back to normal life after she finished her treatment – but people continued to treat her as though she was sick long after she was cured, and even family members stopped visiting her.

“It has been almost two years that I’ve been cured – still I face this stigma,” she lamented.

Dr Jason Andrews of the University of Stanford also presented at the plenary, on Addressing the latent TB infection reservoir, examining methods to effectively target high risk individuals with TB infection for preventive

TB therapy – in the wake of the UN High-Level Meeting on TB in which commitments were made to provide preventive therapy to 30 million people over five years.

During the plenary, the Princess Chichibu Global Memorial TB Award was presented to Dr Amina Jindani of the University of London by Dr Kosuke Okada of the Japanese Anti-Tuberculosis Association. Dr Jindani received the award for her outstanding contribution to global TB control and prevention, and said: “We have a long way to go, but I’m still on the case.”

The Union World Conference is the world’s largest gathering of clinicians, policy makers, public health managers, researchers and advocates working to end the suffering caused by lung disease, with a focus specifically on the challenges faced by low- and middle-income countries. Some 3,500 delegates from over 80 countries attended the event held between 30th October to 2nd November in Hyderabad, India and which was inaugurated by the

Honourable Vice-President of India, Shri M Venkaiah Naidu, at the opening ceremony. Film and television actress Claire Forlani ambassador for The Union, Dr Ren Minghui, Assistant Director-General at the World Health Organization, senior representatives of the State of Telangana, and Nandita Venkatesan, a TB survivor also addressed delegates at the ceremony.

This is one of the sought after tropical food crops in terms of demands, while some like it because of the nutritional benefits especially in the provision of iron, some do like it because of its sweet taste especially when ripe.

• It’s an energy giving food

Plantain is a good source of carbohydrate especially when ripe; therefore it is an energy giving food. And the good news is that the carbohydrates it contains are considered as “complex carbohydrate” which includes starch, fibre and sugar.

The breaking down and absorption of such carbohydrates are slow which gives fullness thereby reducing appetite and making one lose weight. Therefore constant eating of plantain provides your body with enough energy.

• Treatment of anaemia and neuritis

Plantain contains the mineral iron (when unripe) and vitamin B6 which plays a major role in the adequate production of red blood cells in the body and as well prevent anaemia and neuritis which manifest when they are deficient in the body.

• Helps in digestion

Plantain is very rich in fibre which makes it good for consumption as it will help to prevent conditions that irritate the bowel and also preventing constipation, bloating and other related health condition associated with improper digestion and also reduce appetite by increasing fullness. Plantain consumption can greatly help in preventing constipation.

4. Helps in treating diabetes

Unripe plantain, when compared with the ripe one, has low sugar which makes it a good diet for diabetic patients because it cannot trigger or worsen their already high blood sugar level. Psyllium contained in plantain can help to control blood sugar, therefore constant eating of unripe plantain can aid in prevention and treatment of diabetes.

• Prevention of ulcer

Unripe plantain also contains  manganese, potassium and   leucocyanidin  which is one of the phytochemical properties found in food,  its presence in the plantain makes it a source of food for those who suffer or wishes to prevent an ulcer.  The dry form of plantain provides ulcer healing and reduces the risk of developing gastric ulcers. Plantain goes a long way treatment and prevention of ulcer when taken regularly.

• Promotes sexual health

Because of the nutrients contained in plantain, it contributes greatly in sexual health performance. Regular eating of plantain helps in improving male fertility. It boosts sexual health and it helps increase libido, and the vitamins and other minerals it contains helps to improve the general health as well. For good sexual performance, you need more unripe plantain with ginger and garlic.

• Helps in strengthening stronger bones

Unripe plantain which is very rich in calcium and that makes plantain to aid in strengthening our bones and also enhances stronger muscles, teeth, and nails.

A meal with unripe plantain helps in preventing diseases like osteoporosis which means weakening of bones and also causes fractures. For you to have a strong bone, you need to start eating plantain regularly.

• Promotes healthy heart

Unripe plantain contains some amount of serotonin which expands the arteries, promotes blood flow and reduces the risk of homocysteine which involves a disease condition that leads to coronary artery diseases and stroke.

Potassium contained in plantain also plays a great role in preventing heart attack and hypertension. Also fiber contained in plantain aids in decreasing cholesterol level, thus decreasing the risk of heart disorders.

• Develops the immune system

Plantain which contains a whole lot of vitamin A which is another antioxidant that helps your immune system to function properly. Vitamin A has a great role in enhancing the growth of the cell and improves the health of the skin.

Therefore constant intake of plantain can help to develop the immune system due to vitamin A contained in it.

• Helps in weight loss

Plantain which contains a lot of fiber which makes one feels satisfaction even for a long time after eating the food.

Plantain is also low in fat. It is advisable for people trying to lose weight to eat plantain regularly as it will be of great help in weight maintenance.

• Helps in Menstrual discomfort

Plantain which is rich in potassium and vitamin B6 will help greatly in relieving menstrual pain. Eating plantain aids in controlling the symptoms of premenstrual such as bloating and depression. Also the presence of vitamin B6 in plantain lowers the risk of miscarriages in women.

Nutritional values of plantain

Plantain contains minerals and vitamins, as well as other essential nutrients which include potassium, carbohydrates, vitamin c, iron, rich in fibre, magnesium, calcium, vitamins A and B6, and more.

It is also good to know that some of the nutritional values of nutrients in plantain vary as it contains more of these essential nutrients when unripe than when ripe.

Eating it especially when unripe is beneficial but notwithstanding, plantain generally is power packed with essential minerals, vitamins and phytochemical components which makes it good for consumption and medicinal as well.

Source: finelib.com

 

 

 Yusuf Alli, Managing Editor, Northern Operation

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN) has demanded for the casefile of the detained activist, Comrade Omoyele Sowore from the Department of State Security Services (DSS) for review.

He also said his office might take over the prosecution of Sowore.

He said the Federal Government is committed to respecting the sanctity of the rule of law, protecting the virtues of human rights and ensuring speedy dispensation of justice.

The position of the AGF was contained in a statement through his Special Assistant on Media and Public Relations, Dr. Umar Jibrilu Gwandu.

The statement said the request for the transfer of the case to the office of the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice was contained in a letter dated 11th December, 2019 and addressed to the Director-General of the Department of State Services, National Headquarters Abuja.

The statement added: “As part of deliberate efforts to probe emerging issues related to the recent imbroglio related to Omoyele Sowore’s case and for speedy dispensation of justice, the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice has requested that the case file in respect of charge pending before the Federal High Court, Abuja be forwarded to his office.

“The Solicitor General of the Federation and the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice, Dayo Apata(SAN), who signed the letter, referred to a letter from the DSS office on 9th September, 2019.

“According to the letter “the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice upon a further review of the case has directed the immediate takeover of the prosecution of all charges in respect of Omoyole Sowore by the Federal Ministry of Justice in line with the provisions of Sections 150(1) and 174 (1) (a-c) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended)”.

“The letter requested the Director to “promptly forward all the case files” in respect of Omoyele Sowore to the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.”

Dr Joel Akande

 

Let me clarify a common misconception immediately now. To medical doctors, eczema is a distinct skin illness. This is different from what the general public considers as eczema. In the perception of the public, eczema covers practically all common skin diseases.

This should not be so. On the other hand, eczema and dermatitis are frequently used as if they mean the same thing.   First, dermatosis. Dermatosis means any skin disease. Dermatitis means inflammation of the skin as measured by swelling, heat generation, pain and change in colour.

What is Eczema? Coming from the Greek word, “ekzein”, eczema means “to boil out” as a result of the evolution of the skin changes under eczema.

Eczema, therefore,  has the following characteristics:  rashes (macules for example), redness, crusting of skin, oedema or swelling, thickening of the skin due to repeated and frequent rubbing of or scratching of the skin and finally changes in the skin colour.

We should not forget that the disposition of the individual to develop eczema is equally important. The changes in colour and thickening occur at a later development or weeks after the initial changes as mentioned above. The first is acute and the second is called chronic eczema.

Types of Eczema: I will only mention here that eczema can be classified as endogenous (internal) or exogenous (internal). Of the internal, atopic eczema is perhaps the commonest. I will discuss a brief of this condition later as it’s seen in a lot of ways in children.

Seborrhoeic dermatitis seen frequently on the scalp of children and women is also common.  Other conditions are discoid eczema, pompholyx and peeling skin syndrome. For exogenous eczema, hand dermatitis, irritant dermatitis, photo dermatitis, infective eczema, allergic contact dermatitis, exfoliative and perioral dermatitis are common examples.

I will now discuss a few of the common forms of eczema amongst our population.

Read Also: Skin diseases revisited: allergic disorders (2)

Atopic eczema (dermatitis): This is a common illness and is said to account for about 20 per cent of skin disorders seen at skin clinics.

Children fed on cow’s milk rather than on breast milk are more likely to develop atopic eczema.  Children fed on mixed breast and cow’s milk are also at risk.

Causes of atopic eczema: The human body reacts to intolerable agent internally but later shows up in the skin. Some diseases such as deficiency in some vitamins (biotin), cystic fibrosis may lead to eczema. Atopic eczema may also develop due to infections such as staphylococcus infection.

How does atopic eczema present? Children, infants and adults are affected. And it can show up as early as 2 weeks of life.

There are patches in both sides of the body especially on the joints of elbows, behind the knees, cheeks and forehead.  Widespread dry skin involvement may occur. Itching and scratching, dryness of the skin, crusting are present.

The skin become thickened and may become infected. The face may be affected too.  By age of 2-3 years, the eczema may or may not disappear only to reappear later in childhood and adulthood.

Treatment:  Information and knowledge is power. It’s important that adult victims and parents of children should get as much knowledge and information about the eczema as much as possible.

Atopic eczema requires intervention of specialist dermatologist. The medical doctor will endeavor to contain troublesome itching as well as ensuring the dry crusted skin remain moist.

Doctors are also likely to pay attention to curtailing inflammation and preventing occurrence of underlying causes.

Other common and important eczematous forms are contact dermatitis.

This indicates that there are agents that the sufferers have been in contact with that are ultimately responsible for the eczema now being suffered. Seborrhoeic dermatitis is common and will require a physician’s attention.

 

• In the meantime, if you have been affected by this article and you require assistance, you may call / or WhatsApp 07087733114 or 08188343865 for support.

by Adekunle Yusuf

 

Inlaks, a systems integrator in sub-Saharan Africa, has announced its support to the Hope for Sight Initiative (HSI) to assist in cataract surgeries for some visually-impaired persons in Ogun State.

The announcement was made at a press conference on Victoria Island, in partnership with AOS Orwell and Eye Foundation Hospital, Lagos.

Lakshmi Gopinathan, who envisioned the initiative, said she had done similar projects successfully in India, which gave her the inspiration that she could repeat the feat in Nigeria where 4.2 million people are either visually impaired or totally blind. While stating that vision is a right everyone deserves to have, Gopinathan described cataract as a clouding of the natural lenses in the eyes, which affects vision.

She said her embarking on the mission stemmed from her childhood experience, having contended with optical challenges as a child.

Although it is treatable, cataract is the leading cause of blindness in the country, especially in rural areas where there are low awareness levels and misconceptions about the disease and its treatment options.

Speaking on behalf of Inlaks, the Group Head, Human Resources and Administration, Mrs. Adetokunbo Ayo-Ogunsanya, lauded the Hope for Sight Initiative and its goal of providing free surgeries to visually-impaired persons.

She expressed her confidence in the Hope for Sight Initiative to change lives and reiterated Inlaks’ commitment to continuing the “noteworthy cause in line with its CSR drive.”

Her words: “One of our core values at Inlaks is excellence, and we are happy to partner with AOS Orwell working with the best in the industry; Eye Foundation on this initiative. It is important to one’s existence to have vision and having the heart to give back to the society.”

The Managing Director, AOS Orwell, Femi Omotayo, explained the direction of the organisation towards contributing to better quality of living not just for its employees, but for its external community members as well.

He further explained that AOS Orwell has been involved in several other causes that give back to the community on a consistent note.

Read Also: 5,500 people treated for cataract, other eye problems in Niger

“We are a compassionate organization with a heart for people. This is why we jumped on this initiative when we were approached. It is a laudable cause and we are proud to throw the full force of our financial weight behind this,” he said.

In his address, Chief Business Development Officer, Eye Foundation, Adeyemi Oyewumi, expressed his confidence in the initiative, stating that the Eye Foundation has conducted thousands of free cataract surgeries and sensitisation programmes in the past.

He further explained that the selection process of candidates would be purely based on a few key factors such as severity of the condition and willingness of those affected to participate in sensitisation and surgery programme among other underlying considerations.

“Eye Foundation has some of the best and most experienced doctors for this magnitude of work. We have run series of sensitisation programmes and surgeries in the past and we are poised to deliver excellently and transparently on this as well.

We are also very encouraged that organisations can recognize a need and go all out to meet that need,” he said.