Over 1,000 Residents Benefited from Lagos Free Eye Care Initiative

Over 1,000 Residents Benefited from Lagos Free Eye Care Initiative
First Lady Flagged Off Life-Changing Initiative in Ojota
Over 1,000 Residents Benefited at No Cost

The Lagos State Government, in partnership with the Attom Foundation, on Monday launched a three-day free eye screening and cataract surgery programme at Philip Junction, Olusosun, Ojota, with surgeries held at Orile Agege General Hospital.

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Eko Hot Blog reports that the initiative, coordinated by the Blindness Prevention Programme Unit of the Ministry of Health, restored sight, dignity, and hope to residents across the state.

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The First Lady of Lagos State, Dr. (Mrs.) Claudiana Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by the wife of the Permanent Secretary of Lagos Health District IV, Dr. Modupe Bowale, described the programme as “life-changing,” noting that eyesight remained one of humanity’s greatest gifts.

She emphasised that millions globally, including Nigerians, lived with preventable blindness and visual impairment, a challenge the intervention addressed.

The First Lady commended the Attom Foundation and Aide à l’aide Foundation for their compassion and commitment to tackling avoidable blindness. She stressed that the initiative not only restored sight but also productivity, independence, and hope to affected families.

She encouraged residents to maximise the opportunity, underscoring the importance of early detection and regular eye checks. According to her, good vision was not a privilege but a right, and blindness remained largely preventable when people embraced timely medical care.

The Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Health, Dr. (Mrs.) Kemi Ogunyemi, expressed delight at the turnout and clarified that all services, including glasses and surgeries, were provided free of charge. She said the initiative demonstrated the State Government’s commitment to making healthcare accessible to all residents, regardless of economic status.

Over 1,000 Residents Benefited from Lagos Free Eye Care Initiative She also noted that poor eyesight often affected children academically, leading to mislabelling of pupils as lazy or slow learners. The programme, she explained, screened children’s eyes, ears, and teeth to enhance their learning capacity and overall well-being.

The Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Olusegun Ogboye, said the government recognised that good vision was essential to life and productivity, hence the collaboration with the Attom Foundation.

He assured that nobody was excluded, as free corrective lenses and cataract surgeries were provided to those who required them.

Dr. Ogboye disclosed that the programme would not end with this flag-off but would be conducted at least four times a year. He reiterated the government’s commitment to scaling up interventions to ensure that more residents benefited from free and quality eye care services.

Tarik Abubakar, Director of Projects and Coordination, Attom Foundation, noted that Lagos was the first state in Southwest Nigeria where the Foundation held such an exercise. He praised the Ministry of Health for its dedicated Blindness Prevention Unit, describing Lagos as a pacesetter in healthcare delivery.

Dr. Mazeedat Erinosho, Director of Medical Administration, Training and Programmes, Ministry of Health, expressed gratitude to partners and medical teams for ensuring the programme’s success. She recalled that international footballer Victor Osimhen, who grew up in Olusosun, was one of the strong supporters of the Attom Foundation, describing his contribution as a lesson in giving back.

A pupil of Olusosun Primary School, Kehinde Lukmon, who benefited from the screening, thanked the Lagos State Government and Attom Foundation on behalf of his schoolmates, saying the gesture would help children like him to see better and learn more effectively in class.

Hundreds of residents underwent cataract surgeries at the Orile Agege General Hospital on September 30 and October 1, regaining their sight at no cost.