NEDC, Kolmarg deliver free eye care service to Taraba communities

The North East Development Commission (NEDC) in collaboration with an International NGO known as, Kolmarg Eyesight Foundation, has embarked on free eyecare services to rural communities of Taraba State. Speaking at the flag off ceremony of the program in Jalingo, the state capital, the Managing Director of NEDC, Muhammed Alkali, said the programme, which is […]

The North East Development Commission (NEDC) in collaboration with an International NGO known as, Kolmarg Eyesight Foundation, has embarked on free eyecare services to rural communities of Taraba State.

Speaking at the flag off ceremony of the program in Jalingo, the state capital, the Managing Director of NEDC, Muhammed Alkali, said the programme, which is in line with the mandate of the Commission, was aimed at providing succour to visually impaired persons in the underserved communities of the state, especially at this critical time when people are passing through lots of challenges.

Represented by the Taraba State coordinator of the commission, Bashir Hamanjoda, the MD reiterated the commitment of NEDC to providing free eyecare services to bridge the gap in Vision health across the six states of the North _East zone

He stated that various statistics have shown that an estimated population of 1.3 million persons were blind as at 2020 and the greatest proportion of those people were actually from the northern part of the country which include Taraba State

He the figures was alarming and free eye care services was build up to provide equitable and accessible free eyecare for the underserved communities of the region

Alkali, stated that the programme which is being run simultaneously across the six states of the zone, was aimed at conducting cataract surgeries, minor surgeries, and trichiasis caused by glaucoma, even as free eyes glasses would also be distributed free to deserving patients across three zones of each of the states

He encouraged the beneficiaries to adhere strictly to the various prescriptions given them by the experts, reiterating that the commission would continue with its mandate of empowering communities.

According to him, the Commission will continue to transform lives and create a world where clear vision would become fundamental right for all manner of persons irrespective of their economic or social status

Also speaking, the coordinator of the program in Taraba State, Prof Olukorede Adenuga, disclosed that two Local Government Areas, were earmarked in each of the three zones of the state for the exercise

“In the Northern part of the state, we shall be in Jalingo and Yorro Local Government Areas. In Central part we will camp in Sardauna and Gassol LGAs while in the Southern part of the state, we will be in Wukari and Ibi LGAs respectively.”