Plateau State Government has expressed readiness to partner with organisations working to address blindness and other eye problems in the state.
Governor Caleb Mutfwang gave this indication when he received on courtesy call members of Christian Blind Mission, CBM and Sight-Saver at Government House, Rayfield,Jos, recently.
Christian Blind Mission is an organisation working to reduce the prevalence of diseases which cause impairment and minimise the conditions which lead to disabilities. Sight-saver, on the other hand, is a leading charity organisation tackling blindness in Nigeria.
Governor Caleb Mutfwang who received the two organisations in his office, appreciated their efforts in providing eye care to the citizens of Plateau State.
The governor, represented by the state Deputy Governor, Josephine Piyo, emphasised that a society could not be productive without adequate health facilities to care for their eyes.
The Governor assured the partners of government’s support to ensure the success of the programme in the state.
Country Director Sights-saver, Sunday Ishaku, said the organisation has committed over 1.2 million Pounds for the project in Plateau State to ensure access to eye healthcare challenges.
Ishaku stated that the organisation wants the state Ministry of Health to own the project by providing human resources, training and sensitisation to the public on the importance of accessing quality eye care centres .
On his part, the Chief Executive Officer, CEO, Christian Blind Mission, based in Germany, Dr Reiner Brockhaus, pointed out the effects of blindness of an individual on the family and the community.
The two organisations have so far carried out over 400 eye surgeries and provided 627 people with glasses across the state as well as set-up facilities in Mangu, Pankshin for the Central and Shendam for Southern zone while people from the Northern zone will take advantage of tertiary health institutions in Jos for their eye-care.
