Groups fete community with free eye test, glasses
Worried by the health challenges and inability to access good hospitals especially for eye defects common among the downtrodden in the society, the Isheri Host Lions Club and Lagos Diamond Lions Club, both International Association of Lion Clubs District 404B1 Nigeria, have carried out free eye test for the people of Isheri and its environs.
The Lions packed full of opticians carried out free eye test and gave over 100 eye glasses to those who have eye defect and required such for correction.
The exercise, which took place at the palace of Oba Isheri, HRM Oba Wahab Ayinde Balogun, also witnessed free diabetes test for all and sundry in attendance.
Speaking on the essence of the free eye test and glasses distribution to the people, past President of the Isheri Host Lions Club, Lion Debby Agboola Ikuomoenisan disclosed that the mission was to help the needy around the community get access to free medical services.
“We are here to give glasses to the community around here being sponsor by one of our great lion in the club, lion Oriretan Abayomi, we are doing this to the community because some people don’t have the means of going to the optician to obtain glasses but by giving it freely here they will do the test and give them here for free, we are not here to select people to give glass we are here to help them by giving it to everyone,” she said.
Stating further, Ikuomoenisan assured that the club would further assist anyone detected to have complicated eye issue to any hospital for treatment.
“Anyone that require any other treatment we direct them to come for further treatment, the last one we did was about two years ago,” she said.
She urged the government to seriously come to the health challenges of the people by improving health centres and general hospitals within the state and country at large to enable people access free medical checks and treatment.
“The government should invest more on this type of project because it helps the masses and most of the people around here are old people and looking at the country’s economy today it is not easy to go to an optician to get a glass, so by organizing this type of program it gives people confidence and also to make them happy,” she added.
Also speaking, the Project Coordinator for Isheri Host, Lion Kayode Ojo, said the two in one programme is meant to bring relieve to the masses within the community as a way of giving back to the community.
“The program today is divided into two form the diabetes screening and eye test and giving of glasses to 100 people within this community. This program is a way of making impact to the community because it is a very rural setting a lot of people cannot afford the hospital,” he said.
Speaking further, Ojo said, “Then for diabetes screening we have provision for more than 200. We do this program at least three times in a year and this has improved on the health of the environment, what the government can do as support is that they should have this screening and make it free, a lot of NGO are ready to complement their effort, so we are asking the government to come and compliment us.”
One of the beneficiaries of the free eye test, Mrs. Yemisi Obasa, thanked the organizers for the opportunity given to her to access the free eye test and got free glasses.
“I have come here for eye test and I have been tested, after the test they gave me eye glass that best fits my eye problem, I never expected this, I thank the organisers of the free eye test, may God bless them,” she said.