20,000 benefits from foundation’s free eyes medical outreach – Founder

No fewer than 20,000 people with eye problems have benefited from free medical outreach organized by the Mohammed Ajia Ibrahim (MAI) foundation in the 16 local government areas of Kwara state.

Beneficiaries of the free eye screening and treatment programme were also provided with prescribed drugs and eyeglasses.

Speaking with journalists during third phase of the programme at Balogun Gambari ward in the Ilorin East local government area of the state on Wednesday, founder of the programme, Mr. Mohammed Ibrahim, said that it was part of activities to give back to society.

Mr. Ibrahim, who said that most of the beneficiaries were the aged and poor, added that they could not take care of their sight, despite its importance in the body, due to present socioeconomic situation in the country.

He said that about 5,000 people each benefited from the medical outreach in Kwara North and South senatorial districts respectively, adding that about 10,000 beneficiaries were recorded in the Kwara Central senatorial district.

“Despite eye being a major organ of our body, many of the people do not know how to care of their eyes due to present socioeconomic situation in the country. They can’t afford either drugs, eye drops or even screening. That’s why we came in and plan to sustain the intervention so that they do not lose their sight”, he said.

The founder of MAI foundation, a retired superintendent of police, also said that the organization planned to establish standard eye care centre in all the three senatorial districts of the state in future as part of service to humanity.

He lamented low development and high poverty level among the people, urging the state government to improve on wealth creation, reduce youth unemployment and give full autonomy to local government system.

“We have issues of high poverty rate as well as unemployment among our people, thus, high prevalence of crime. So, our traditional leaders and opinion leaders should talk out and challenge government to spend security vote in crime prevention and control. Government should be committed to security, create wealth and give full autonomy to local government system”, he said.