Kunle Adelabu
-About 50 gets free surgery, glasses, further tests.
A total of 118 residents of Ikorodu on Thursday, February 18, 2022, benefited from the free eyes screening and catarrh removal surgery organized by the Rhoda Youth Centre, lkorodu, in conjunction Eye Foundation Hospital, Ikorodu.
53 will be sponsored for catarrh removal surgery, free eye glasses and further tests by the Rhoda Youth centre, the initiator of the screening. Among these are three children that are in need of further tests and glasses.
The beneficiaries, comprising of elderly, young and physically challenged, started arriving the Rhoda Youth Centre, 23, Abiodun Ogunleye Street, Solomade, Ikorodu, venue of the exercise, at 6.30am, two hours earlier than the scheduled time.
The exercise, which was an initiative of the Rhoda Youth Centre, an organization which focuses on increasing the capacity and development of youths, conducted Visual acuity, External Examination Eye and Ophthalmoscopy (checking of the back of the eyes) tests for all the attendants.
Mr Roimi Erogbogbo, Director, Rhoda Youth Centre, speaking with THE IMPACT, said that the initiative was part of the centre’s care for the community.
Erogbogbo added that the exercise will be a continuous one.
“We are doing this because we feel concerned about people’s well – being in our community and this exercise is part of our effort to prevent blindness and improve the performance of people’s sight”, he said.
“We have received several complaints about eyes challenges from people and this is our response in helping them.
“You will not believe it that many of the beneficiaries started arriving at this venue as early as 6.30am. That was when I started getting calls. I wouldn’t blame them because it shows that what we are doing is important and that they are really in need of it.
It’s an interventionist programme and we are going to be responsible for further treatments, surgery and glasses for some with critical cases”, he added.
Mr Balogun Oluwapamilerin, a resident of Solomade, described the exercise as laudable and what people are yearning for.
“It is a laudable project and welcome development because programmes like this will help the community if it can come regularly. There are a lot of people that are not aware of some of these programmes that are beneficial to them but when such is brought to us, it makes it easier for us to access the information and all that is in it for the people”, he said.
“When I saw it (promo) yesterday (Wednesday), I was so happy about it. I have never done an eye test before but I decided to come around since they are here in my community which is an opportunity.
“So far, I am happy because I got here not long ago and I am about to finish the tests. It means that there is organisation, planning and results coming out of it.
“In fact, when I got here, I was about the 100th person on the register and that shows that people are yearning for something like this”, he added.
Another beneficiary, Mrs Gbadamosi, said that the exercise is good and it is what the society wanted.
