Blindness: El-Rufa’i advocates government, ophthalmologists collaboration

Blindness: El-Rufa’i wants government, ophthalmologists to collaborate
NAN-HG-7
Blindness
By Mohammed Lawal
Kaduna, Aug. 22, 2017 (NAN) Gov. Nasiru El-Rufa’i of Kaduna State on Tuesday called for government collaboration with ophthalmologists to effectively tackle avoidable blindness in Nigeria.
He made the call while declaring open a three-day 42nd Annual General Meeting/Scientific Conference of Ophthalmological Society of Nigeria (OSN) held in Kaduna.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the conference is: “Sustainable Development Goals and Eye Care Delivery in Nigeria”.
El-Rufa’i, who was represented by his Deputy, Mr Barnabas Bala-Bantex, said the call became necessary in view of the importance of sight to human existence.
“Blindness or poor eye sight has been a major disabling condition since time immemorial.
“Fortunately, 84 per cent of causes of blindness are avoidable.
“It is therefore a big challenge to eye specialists and the government together, we must ensure that avoidable blindness is brought to the barest minimum,” he noted.
The National President of OSN, Prof. Sebastian Nwosu, said that Kaduna was hosting the conference for the fifth time.
He said the society was determined to continually make positive difference in the eye health of Nigerians.
“To this end, its strategic plan has been reviewed.
“When approved by the Annual General Meeting, it is hoped that we will have at our disposal a solid template for the implementation of all we will discuss in this conference,” said Nwosu.
The OSN president appreciated resource persons and all those who participated in the pre-congress activities which featured free cataract surgical eye camp.
Earlier, the Chairman, Local Organising Committee, Prof. Elsie Sama’ila, said that quite a number of patients had benefited from the free surgical eye camp.
She said the theme of the conference was timely because SDGs were an ambitious and targeted agenda for the alleviation of poverty and a world of universal respect. (NAN)
KLM/JEO/MST
Edited by Jane-Frances Oraka/Muhammad Suleiman Tola