August Meeting: Enugu Gov’s Wife Rolls Out Free Eyecare for Women

As part of her 2024 August Meeting support to women, the wife of the governor of Enugu State, Mrs. Nkechinyere Mbah, has rolled out an eyecare programme for the screening and treating of at least 500 women with various eye problems.

The programme, which kicked off on Monday at the state’s Ministry of Children, Gender Affairs and Social Development, Independence Layout, Enugu, is being organised in partnership with the Ministry and Balija Eyecare.

Speaking at the flag-off of the three-day programme on Monday, the Commissioner for Children, Gender Affairs and Social Development, Mr. Ngozi Enih, said it was in continuation of Mrs. Mbah’s efforts to make life better for Enugu women.

“This exercise is in partnership with the Office of the First Lady and Balija Eyecare. The exciting thing about this partnership is that these women are being screened free of charge. For those who need lenses, we give them lenses and those who need further referral, we will refer them.

“We invite every woman in Enugu State, but Her Excellency’s target is to screen at least 500 women in Enugu she has provided more than enough resources to bankroll the programme.

“Medication, screening and glasses are free of charge to make sure that 500 women in Enugu State, who are suffering from sight problems are taken care of. The screening is going to take place for 3 days.

“Remember that recently, Her Excellency enrolled 1,701 pregnant women into a one-year health insurance scheme through her Mama Care Initiative, and this is apart from 100 expectant mothers who were previously enrolled. The good thing about this programme is that it trickles down to the grassroots. Most of the beneficiaries of this collaboration are mostly women from the grassroots.

“This is her way of giving back to society to make sure that our women, especially those who do not have the means, have proper eyecare. Sight is life, and women need good sight so that they can fend for their homes,” Mrs. Enih stated.

Speaking to newsmen, the Director General, Sight Is Life Project for Enugu Women, Eze Emmanuel, said that eye condition among women, especially the rural dwellers, was a major concern to the wife of the governor, hinting that they planned to equally take the programme to the rural areas during the August Meeting.

Also, the Medical Director of Balija Eyecare, Dr. Ilodibe Onoja said the medical team had so far carried out comprehensive eye tests on numerous Enugu women, and were able to, in some cases, rule out eye problems like glaucoma, cataract, while also discovering some refractory errors like presbyopia, astigmatism and hypermetropia, which he said would be corrected with reading glasses.

He also blamed certain systemic health conditions like diabetes mellitus and hypertension for some eye problems.

The medical doctor, who warned against self-medication, urged Enugu women to take advantage of the benevolence of the governor’s wife to know their sight status.