ALPHONSUS AGBORH reports that an initiative by the wife of Delta State governor, Dame Edith Okowa restored sight to more than 2,000 visually-impaired people, in an unprecedented move that covered every nook and cranny of the state.
“I never knew I could see again with my two eyes, two years after being affected by cataract. Each day, I was guided by my little boy. I couldn’t recognise my children and my husband. In fact, everything was pitch dark. But today, I can see. I thank God and Dame Edith Okowa who made it possible.”
This was the testimony of 80-year-old Madam Grace Mgboka, a beneficiary of the 05 Initiative grassroots medical outreach of Dame Edith Okowa, who spoke on the second day of the outreach at Ogwashi-Uku when the cotton wool on her eyes was pulled off following the surgery.
The testimony was the same for more than 2,000 other beneficiaries across the state where the programme was carried out. At the end of the grand finale of the programme in Asaba, over 2,200 visually impaired persons in the state regained their sight, while over 14,000 others received free eye glasses. Drugs were also dispensed freely, while post-clinical checks were carried out for a period of one month.
When the programme, a collaboration between Restore Sight Africa – a private partner – and the state ministry of health was officially flagged off four months ago at Umunede, little did the people know that the 05 team would be able to cover the entire 25 local governments, more so restore sight to people who had been unable to help themselves. Some of the beneficiaries were financially handicapped, while others blamed their predicaments on evil men, until they were convinced to look at the direction of 05 initiative.
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On the first day, discussions among those seeking help for their sights centered on their experiences, praying to receive good sight again. On the second day after the surgeries, however, their stories changed for good.
The programme couldn’t have been successful without the full commitment of Restore Sight Africa medical team, which spent more than two and a half months working to ensure the project succeeded. Leader of the medical team, Dr. Ernest Ogbedo, told Sunday Tribune that he was moved by compassion for those suffering from blindness, making him to be committed to the cause of restoring their sight through Dame Okowa’s pet project. Consequently, the programme brought relief to those in search of comfort and wellbeing. Although other organisations had carried out similar programmes on a smaller scale in the past, the 05 initiative proved to be the first time that an NGO went round the nooks and crannies of the state with a grand medical outreach targeting the under-privileged.
Speaking at the end of the programme at Oshimili South Local Government Area, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa promised to work with the people to develop the state. “As a government, we are not here to share money but to develop our state by executing projects that will empower the people and make them happy,” he said.
Governor Okowa also observed that the 05 Initiative, a pet project of his wife, Dame Okowa, has touched a lot of lives within its few years of existence, expressing his gladness that more than 2,000 eye surgeries were carried out, while 12 Sickle Cell Centres have been built at different locations in the state. He commended donors and those who partnered with the 05 Initiative for the success stories recorded so far.
The founder of 05 Initiative, Dame Okowa, thanked Governor Okowa for being supportive, which has made her to carry out humanitarian activities for the benefits of humanity. She assured residents that the activities of 05 Initiative would continue to impact on the people, just as she commended, and urged her partners and sponsors, not to relax as a lot still needed to be done.
Dr Ernest Ukpedor of Restore Sight Initiatives also commended Dame Okowa for providing the platform to reach out to those with eye challenges in the society, disclosing that within the period, more than 23,000 persons with eye challenges have been treated and that more than 13,000 eye glasses and more than 8, 000 eye drops, were freely given to those in need of it.
Chairman of Oshimili South Local Government Area, Honorable Uche Osadebe, confirmed that sight challenges are now known to be prevalent in the country, “and as a result, many of our people suffer either severe sight impairment or even outright blindness most often due to ignorance, poverty and lack of access to affordable and reliable health facilities and services, but this initiative has been of massive assistance to many people who need eye surgeries and drugs.”
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