James Abraham No fewer than 250 persons living with disabilities in Plateau State have been offered free medical eye treatment by the state government in partnership with Sight Savers International and the Health and Developmental Support Programme. The two-day event, which concluded on Sunday, took place at the General Hospital in Shendam Local Government Area under the Plateau State Eye Health Programme. Programme Officer for Eye Health at Sight Savers International, Dr Joshua Yibenu, explained that the programme seek to establish a comprehensive, affordable, accessible, and sustainable eye care system in Plateau State.
He commended the state government for their support and highlighted the need for the employment of healthcare workers and the retention of retired ophthalmologists to ensure the project’s continuity. “We have worked with the state government to ensure that we have highly subsidised costs so that even after Sight Savers has left the state, Plateau will still have a robust capacity to sustain the project beyond our intervention,” Yibenu said. Programme Director for HANDS, Dr Innocent Emenrunwa, emphasised the importance of raising awareness and preventing avoidable blindness.
He noted that common eye issues among patients included glaucoma and cataracts, which can be treated locally or referred to Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) for specialised care. “Due to the level of expertise and the equipment available, this project has made it possible t.