Akure Professionals’ Lion Club conducts free eye test for 100 drivers

As part of efforts to reduce auto crashes on the highways occasioned by poor vision of many drivers,100 professional drivers on Tuesday benefitted from Vision Awareness Campaign as well as free Eye screening and Treatment organised by Akure Professionals’ Lions Club,

During the exercise held at the Head office of the Vehicle Inspection Services Department, VIO, in Akure, Ophthalmologists conducted eye test, administered drugs, presented eye glasses for some of the drivers while others underwent eye surgery.

The beneficiaries, selected from the Ondo state government’s civil service, were treated free of charge by health officials brought by
Akure Professionals’ Lions Club.

Addressing the drivers at the opening of the exercise, the President of the Club, Lion Soladoye Ekundayo, said the programme was organised as part of humanitarian services of the Club, noting that everyone had a right to sight.

Ekundayo who is the immediate past Ondo state Chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) lamented that about 4.5 million people were either blind or visually impaired in Nigeria while about 217 million were visually impaired around the globe.

“Majority of blindness are avoidable, but people still go blind, not because they have spiritual problems or under the spell of witchcraft, but because they cannot get simple surgery or treatment that could save their sight,” he opined.

The President said, “Akure professionals’ Lions Club, a non-govemmental organization, having realised the surge in avoidable blindness/visual impairment in this state especially among government employees, is organising this campaign to support the State Government to reduce blindness and visual long drivers.”

Ekundayo noted that healthcare of the people should not be left for government alone, hence the decision by the Club to put together the health programme for drivers who were critical segment of the society

“Our medical experts conducted free eye screening test, provide free drugs and free glasses. If there is a need for anyone to undergo surgical operations, we are equally ready to provide that at no cost.

‘We hereby use this medium to appreciate the Ondo State Government, the office of the Head of service, office of establishment & Training and the Management of Ondo State Ministry of Transport for their cooperatlon and for allowing us to render this free humanitarian service to humanity,” Ekundayo said.

In a remark, the Special Adviser to the state Governor on Transport, Barrister Tobi Ogunleye who commended Akure Professionals’ Lions Club for organising the eye test and treatment, noted that the programme would go a long way in reducing accidents among government’s drivers in the state.

Ogunleye promised that such health initiative would soon be extended to commercial drivers on the state.

The Special Adviser said, “accidents will reduce on our roads if our drivers are medically, mentally, and physically stable to do their job. Ondo state is taking a lead with this type of eye test and treatment; we want to appreciate this Lion Club for the humanitarian services.”

Ogunleye said, “we hope to partner with you (Akure Professionals’ Lion Club) to train Idajo boys (Commercial drivers-NURTW members in Ondo state), they need this kind of health programmes, with this, our state will be free of avoidable accidents, we know importance of having drivers with good sight on our highways.”

In a brief lecture, an Ophthalmologist, Lion (Mrs) Clementina Ogbebor who led health experts for the programme, warned drivers and members of the public to stop the practice of applying unrecommended treatment for eyes.

The programme was attended by the State Director of VIO, Mr Dennis Adeleye and top management of the ministry of transport.

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