Mrs. Buhari with her Dubai Partners. |
Mrs.
Buhari said she was happy that Noor Dubai Foundation has engaged the state to
run a Katsina Comprehensive Eye Care Programme as part of its philanthropic
activities to Nigeria, and called on Nigerians to take advantage of these services
to improve their eye health.
Earlier
in the programme, the Chief Executive of Noor Dubai Foundation, Dr. Manal
Muhammad Omran Taryam Al Shamsi, said the choice of Katsina resulted from a
survey, which revealed that there were at least 122,000 visually impaired
people in the state, out of which 24,000 were blind, while only 25% of cases
benefit from surgery services.
The signing of the documents. |
The
partnership, she said, will yield positive results because 82% of visual loss
can be treated or prevented “and that is why we engaged Katsina state to
implement a 4 – year sustainable comprehensive eye care programme. Katsina
state government has also expressed willingness to support and sustain the
programme.” She said.
Speaking
on the scope of the programme, she said it will include revamping of
infrastructure in 3 main hospitals, setting up of 12 vision centers and 3
optical workshops as well as supporting and equipping 250 primary care centers.
The programme will also recruit and train local ophthalmologists, optometrists
and ophthalmic nurses.
Also
on the cards are 11,000 free cataract surgeries, 36,000 screenings and
treatment for other eye disorders as well as rehabilitation support for 1000
individuals with permanent visual loss.
Speaking
at the occasion, Deputy Governor of Katsina State, Alhaji Mannir Yakubu said
the MoU marks a great milestone in the delivery of eye care services in the
state and is aimed at improving the quality of life and the socio-economic
status of the people of the state through reduction of burden of blindness and
visual impairment. He described this as Katsina’s effort at supporting the
attainment of Universal Eye Healthcare by the Year 2020.
Minister
of Health, represented by National Coordinator for Eye Health, Dr. Oteri Okolo
said the Ministry is in support of such partnerships and they should be
sustained, believing that the outcome of this pilot would yield positive
results across the country.
The
event was witnessed by the Chief Medical Director of the National Eye Center,
Kaduna and other stakeholders in the eye care support sector.
As
a member of the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness and the
Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives Foundation, Noor Dubai aims
to fulfill the objective of Vision 2020 – The Global Initiative for the
Elimination of Avoidable Blindness.
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