World Sight Day: FCT Health Secretary Donates 750 Reading Glasses
By: Prudence Okonna
As part of efforts to improve the eye health of the staff of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), the Secretary Health Services and Environmental Secretariat (HSES), has donated 750 reading glasses in commemoration of the World Sight Day, 2023.
The donated glasses are part of the package provided alongside free screening for the teaming staff of the FCTA.
Secretary Health Services and Environmental Secretariat (HSES), Dr. Adedolapo Fasewe, who spoke during the event organized to mark the World Sight Day, Tusday, at FCTA headquarters, Area 11 Garki, Abuja, said the donation was inspired by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s distribution of Five Million (5,000,000) reading glasses to Nigerians in September 2023.
Fasewe noted that providing free eye screening to staff of the FCTA is in line with the theme for the World Sight Day 2023 “Love your eyes at work”, especially for workers who are highly mobile, dynamic and very active and should be the first partaker of the eye care services.
She explained that vision facilitates participation in the workforce, contributing to the economic benefits the staff derive from their work, hence the need to prioritize their eye health.
Also speaking at the event, Programme Manager, Eye Care Unit, Public Health Department, Dr. Garba Abdulrazaq, said the free screening is part of the sensitization and awareness campaigns aimed at encouraging staff to always check their eyes occasionally and not wait until there is an emergency.
He noted that most staff are exposed to laptops, desktops or phones when they work and therefore, are affected by the effects of the rays coming from their devices, which may affect their productivity at work.
Abdulrazaq revealed that in addition to the free screening and glasses, the HIV/AIDS unit of the Public Health Department in partnership with the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN) are available to conduct free HIV tests for staff.
According to him, the FCT Health Insurance Scheme (FHIS) is also providing insurance service packages for staff especially those who are ignorant of the benefits of the scheme.
The Eye Care Specialist revealed that based on the commitment to the International Association for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB), the target is to reach 1,000 people and so far about 600 FCTA workers have been reached; adding that more people would be reached during the visit to Karu community on Wednesday, 11th October, 2023.
His words: “We will be focusing on workers at the Karu Abattoir, the vulnerable, underserved populations and we will be setting our stand at the chief palace where we will be providing free eye screening for pregnant women, women of child bearing age and all the community members available that actually need it”.
World Sight Day is commemorated annually on the 12th of October 2023 and for this year, world leaders are calling on employers to provide quality eye care to their employees.
