The wife of Ebonyi State Governor, Mrs Mary-Maudaline Nwifuru has flagged off free eye care services for monarchs in the state.
According to her, the essence of the healthcare services to the royal fathers is to encourage them and provide quality leadership at the grassroots.
The governor’s wife, who said that health is wealth, noted that when the leaders are healthy, the communities are stronger, more united, and more peaceful.
Nwifuru stated this during the flagging off of eye treatment sponsored by her foundation, Better Health for Rural Women, Children, and Internally Displaced Persons, held at the Women Development Center, Abakaliki.
She, however, commended her husband, Governor Francis Nwifuru, for his various health interventions in the state, describing him as a health-friendly governor, and pledged the continued support of his foundation to his laudable programmes.
The event witnessed free screening, drug administration, issuance of eyeglasses, and eye surgery where necessary.
She said, “As the grand ambassador of health insurance in the state and the founder of Better Health for Rural Women, Children and Internally Displaced Persons Foundation, I am very passionate about accessible and quality healthcare for all.
“This event is put in place to address one of the most critical but often overlooked areas of health, which is eye care.
“Let us remember that health is wealth, and when our leaders are healthy, our communities are stronger, more united, and more peaceful.
“May this initiative be the beginning of many more impactful health interventions, and may or efforts continue to touch lives across every corner of Ebonyi State.”
On his part, the Executive Secretary, Ebonyi State Health insurance Agency, Dr Divine Igwe, disclosed that eye problems have now become the leading ailment globally, according to research affecting people from 40 years and above.
He commended the wife of the governor for stepping in to ensure that eye diseases are curtailed.
He also noted that the free eye service was part of the interventions of EBSHIA and BERWO to curtail the prevalence of cataract and other eye diseases among the traditional rulers.
He then called on Ebonyi people to take their health seriously and always go for medical checkups to avoid blindness, even as he urged philanthropists to also encourage their people to enroll in their insurance agency for a better living.
Igwe said, “Last week, we harvested about 486 individuals in Ebonyi State who have cataracts, out of which 200 are already undergoing their surgeries in various facilities in the state.
“It is based on this that we decided to expand the efforts, starting from our traditional rulers.
“This is intended to curtail eye problems in Ebonyi State.
“Eye problems can develop as a result of aging, other underlying ailments like diabetes or hypertension, or as a result of infection.
“There are other kinds of eye problems that are genetic, such as glaucoma.
“Regular eye checks and screening can help in preventing eye diseases.”
In an interview with some of the traditional rulers, including the Chairman, Ebonyi State Council of Traditional Rulers, Eze Charles Mkpuma; Ezeogo Patrick Oko Agha from Afikpo; Eze Sunday Oketa; and Eze Aloh Boniface Nkashi Nwokeocha from Ebonyi and Abakaliki local government areas, respectively, commended the wife of the Governor and EBSHIA for the initiative, which they described as both apt and significant.
According to them, it is the first of its kind since the creation of the state in 1996.
They also appreciated Governor Nwifuru for numerous other interventions in their favour and prayed to God to continue to guide and reward them through their various endeavours.
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