Kunle Adelabu & Mariam Akinloye
-40 detected cases to get free surgery
In its quest to have a community free of cataract and other eye challenges that may lead to blindness, the Ibeshe Kingdom Development Association (IKIDASS) has mobilised 500 residents for eye screening.
At the free screening held last week and organized in partnership with the Eye Foundation Hospital, held inside the Fashola Estate directly opposite the Nichemtex PLC.
Over 200 of the beneficiaries were given free glasses and over 40 cases of cataract were detected.
According to the organisers, detected cataract patients would be offered free treatment at the Eye Foundation Hospital.
Asiwaju Kaoli Olusanya, the chairman of newly established socio – cultural and developmental group – IKIDASS, explained that stakeholders came together some months back to brainstorm about creating a platform and local institutions to intervene in critical areas for the well – being of the community and attract the government attention to areas of needs.
He said that health is one of the areas of focus for IKIDASS which has mobilised 500 residents for the health initiative which focuses on cataract detection, and prevention as a way of improving quality of lives within the Owode – Ibeshe community.
“I am very pleased to come here today and see large crowd of people from various parts of our community who have challenges with vision but due to their economic status they could not take care of themselves and if vision is taken away from a person, he is already living in a black dark world.
“If we were able to successfully detect cataract, treat and prevent it, we would have achieved our purpose and ways of caring for members of our communities.
“This is the way we want them to perceive us, that IKIDASS was established to care for the community in many ratifications. We are not just established for annual parties, get-together and social functions, no, our focus is to look into areas where we can add values; where we can develop our community; where we can improve the quality of life of our young ones, and in particular to mentor the young ones,” Asiwaju Kaoli said.
The Chairman of the committee incharge of the heath programme, Dr. Shamsideen Olalekan Allison, also emphasised the IKIDASS Chairman’s position, saying that the free medical outreach is a way of rendering assistance to the people in the community.
“This program is one of our key objectives in ensuring the well -being of our people within Ibeshe Kingdom, and we know cataract is a major problem and major cause of preventable blindness among our people.
“What we are doing now is a programme whereby we will be able to render our assistance in treating some of these cases. We believe vision is not a luxury, it is a necessity for life. So that is why we just have to organise such a programme.
“Our target here today is to have 500 beneficiaries for the free cataract screening and surgery, so we are still on the programme and we are doing it in conjunction with the Eye Foundation.”
He thanked the Eye Foundation while also charging more people within the Ibeshe community to volunteer for the IKIDASS activities.
“We want to appreciate the contributions of the Eye Foundation, in form us of resources and expertise, because they have really come a long way to assist us to take care of our people.
“Our message to our people is that, we want more people to volunteer from the community to assist the association, so that all of us can be on board to see to the advancement of Ibeshe kingdom
“To the beneficiaries, we wish them well, and for those that have cataracts, they will be invited for surgery and after that, we will give the little assistance that we can give as regards post – surgery treatment. We want to urge them to rest assured that we will always be there for them to do the little we can do to ensure the well-being and good health of our people,” Dr Allison added.
Beneficiaries at the screening also spoke with THE IMPACT explaining their challenges, process of the screening and expressing their appreciation to IKIDASS for the gesture.
Mr Ajayi Adewale from Ibeshe Titun, who came for free cataract screening with his landlord who has been having problems with his eyes for about five years said,
“We have been attended to and screened at three different sections and we are at the fourth. We have been told that he is going to need surgery. His number has been dropped with the officials because they said that they are going to call him any moment for another round of examination and surgery.”
Rukayat Kehinde, Owode -Ibeshe, who said that she was well attended to, appreciate the organisers for the initiative.
Ayodeji Olalekan from Ibelefun who also came for the screening charged organisers to make the free medical outreach more often for more people to benefit.
Another beneficiary, Tawa Adeniran from Owode Baale said that she was given glasses after complaining about one of her eyes and due screening was carried out.
She expressed her appreciation to IKIDASS.
Mrs Badejo Oluwakemi from Ibeshe, said that she too was presented with a reading glass after screening to aid her reading and also thanked the organisers for the gesture.
