By Stanley Onyekwere
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has flagged off free eye surgery for indigent Cataract patients in Kwali Area Council of the nation’s capital.
The Secretary, FCT Secretariat For Health and Human Services, Dr. Abubakar Tafida, who performed the flag off ceremony of the programme at the Kwali General Hospital, said 500 indigent patients would benefit from the first set of the programme.
Tafida noted that efforts to sustain the programme would be intensified with the support of Development Partners and other stakeholders.
While disclosing that the programme may not continue to be free of charge in the future, he explained that the cost would be made affordable to patients.
“We took up the issue with the Minister who approved that 500 patients should be operated free. This is the beginning, as we continue with this activity, we hope it will culminate into a development of high volume Cataract surgery centre in Kwali.
“ Even if it will not be free after sometime, it is going to be cost effective “ ,Tafida said.
Also speaking, Dr. Fatima Kyari, an ophthalmologist at University of Abuja Teaching Hospital (UATH) and a partner of International Agency for Prevention of Blindness, said the stakeholders were giving the needed attention to the programme, because the patients have lost their sight and economic wellbeing.
She disclosed that some of the patients that have benefited from the free surgery, have been blind for 10 years.
Kyari disclosed that the partners provided all the consumables which complimented the efforts of FCTA.
On his part, Etsu of Kwali Dr. Shaban Nizazu III , commended the FCT Administration for extending such pro poor programme to his domain.
He also appealed that the programme be sustained and possibly extended to other rural communities where many indigent Cataract patients are found.
Not left out, two beneficiaries of the free surgery, Wando Samuel and Evelyn Okoye, testified to the effectiveness of the programme, saying that the surgery has restored both sight and productive life to them.
