THE Care Vision Support Initiative (CAVSI) has taken its sight restoration programme to Ugoneki community in Edo State, restoring hope and sight to hundreds of people in the community.
209 people in Ugoneki community which is in the Uhomwode Local Government Area of Edo State, benefited from the free eye surgeries, 151 of whom had cataracts removed from their eyes.
Similarly, 54 of the villagers were treated for an eye condition known as `pterygium’ while four kids were treated for pediatric cataracts.
Also, 345 medical eye glasses were given to people in the community at no cost to them while 308 medical packs were similarly, given out to the people.
Speaking with newsmen, the Project Officer of CAVSI, Dr Fwangshak Kumbak, said that the project was funded by the TY Danjuma Foundation.
Kumbak disclosed that the exercise, which commenced since Dec. 7, had seen the team attending to hundreds of people with various medical needs.
According to him, the team targets to attend to at least 1, 500 people, noting that up to 688 have been attended to in five days of the exercise.
He said that up to 568 students from primary and secondary schools in the community had been attended to by the medical team.
Ms Oluwatomi Ajayi, Edo State Coordinator of the TY Danjuma Foundation, said that the foundation was handling two projects in the health sector nationwide.
Ajayi named the projects being handled by the foundation as free eye care services and maternal mortality.
She said that since the inception of the foundation’s collaboration with CAVSI in 2009, no fewer than 30, 000 people had benefitted from free eye care services.
Some of the beneficiaries, who spoke with NAN, lauded the exercise and offered prayers for the team.
Among the beneficiaries is a 69-year-old woman, Mrs Julie Igbinosun, a farmer, who had cataract removed from her two eyes.
Others are Mr Napoleon Agbama, the Chairman of Uhumwode Local Government Council, who described the large turnout of people for the exercise as an indication that people appreciated the gesture.
Also, Mr Victor Okekeora, a 45-year-old building engineer from Anambra and Chief Friday Uwadiae, a 72-year-old farmer from the nearby Iguomo community, were among people who benefitted from the medical care.
