Lagos Launches Self Screening Vission Corridor

Lagos State government in collaboration with Save-a-Sight Foundation, a Non Government Organization of the Lagos State Branch of the Nigerian Optometric Association, today inaugurated a ‘self-screening vision corridor’ in the state in furtherance of the preventive health strategy adopted by the state government in the area of blindness prevention.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris who inaugurated the vision corridor, a self testing wall, at the Secretariat of the Ikeja local government explained that it is a user friendly, self testing painted wall that detects visual impairment in people and in turn prompts them to seek help from appropriate quarters.

“Government is determined to ensure that the prevalence of blindness is reduced considerably in Lagos State. This we have been able to achieve through the various programmes that have been embarked on by the Blindness Prevention Unit of the Ministry of Health,” he noted.

He added that government has also collaborated with Save-a-Sight Foundation in the area of training of teachers in various educational districts in the State for the purpose of detecting poor vision in students stressing that such training is in tandem with the School Health Programme of the Government.

Said he “we are pleased to collaborate again with Save-a-Sight Foundation because this project complements the activities already in existence at the Ministry aimed at reducing and eliminating avoidable blindness in the State. Similar programmes of this nature will be most welcomed by this administration since they are in line with our goals of achieving right to sight by the Year 2020.”

The Commissioner enjoined the citizens to avail themselves of the great opportunity the vision corridor offers to have their eyes checked adding that vision corridors that would soon be erected in various local governments and local council development areas of the state.

Earlier, the Chairperson of Nigerian Optometric Association, Lagos Branch, Dr. Eniola Ajayi opined that the objectives of the vision corridor is to reduce avoidable blindness through self testing in all communities adding that the vision corridor will be installed in all local government areas and other public places such as markets, churches, mosques all over the State.

She also noted that the vision corridors will help bring to light most refractive error conditions and blinding eye conditions stressing however that it will not fish out all eye conditions such as glaucoma, hence it cannot replace a proper eye examination at a certified eye clinic.

“The whole idea is to get people to take action on time once they have inkling that they may have an eye problem. It is interesting to note that one man who thought he had good vision found out while we were still installing the vision corridors that it is only one eye that is good after all,” Dr. Ajayi noted.

While commending the state government for a successful collaboration, she noted that the vision corridors have already been erected at Oshodi-Isolo, Ifako-Ijaiye and Surulere local government areas while it would soon be erected at the State secretariat and all other local council areas within the next few weeks.

In the same vein, the Chairman, Save-a-Sight Foundation, Otunba Mohammed Jobi-Fele who also expressed delight at the success of the vision corridor project stated that the eye is a valuable asset of the human body adding that the efforts of the government in the areas of healthcare delivery is being felt across the nation.