LASUTH holds free cataract surgery for Ojokoro community

From left: A beneficiary, Mrs Felicia Adeyemi; LASUTH's Director Hospital Administration and Human Resources, Mr Kehinde Gbajumo; LASUTH Chief Medical Director, Prof. Adetokunbo Fabamwo; another beneficiary, Mrs. Olawunmi Olaiya; and LASUTH's Acting Head of Ophthalmology Department, Mrs Rosemary Ngwu, during LASUTH free cataract surgery press briefing on Monday

The Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), in collaboration with “Friends of LASUTH” has provided free cataract surgery to residents of Ojokoro area of Lagos State.

This an offshoot of a free medical outreach the hospital held earlier in the year. During the outreach, over 500 beneficiaries were screened and 48 people were diagnosed with cataract. Subsequently, they were scheduled for free cataract surgery at LASUTH.

This effort is aimed at improving the quality of life of Ojokoro residents, under the leadership of the Lagos State governor, Mr Babajide Olusola Sanwoolu and his Deputy, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, in line with the THEMES agenda of the administration.

T.H.E.M.E.S, the developmental agenda for Greater Lagos, represents the six-pillar development plan of the Sanwo-Olu administration. It stands for Traffic Management and Transportation; Health and Environment; Education and Technology; Making Lagos a 21st Century Economy; Entertainment and Tourism; and Security and Governance.He said one of the rare qualities possessed by Governor Sanwo-Olu is his penchant for keeping promises.

In his welcome address, LASUTH Chief Medical Director, Prof. Adetokunbo Fabamwo noted that LASUTH was setup to offer advanced medical care and, over the years, the government of Lagos State had invested a lot of funds in LASUTH, to achieve this vision.

He said the financial investment became more exponential in the last four years of Sanwoolu as he has shown exceptional interest in the growth and development of the hospital. He said that the governor also approved the recruitment of the requisite specialised  personnel.

The CMD further stated that the objective behind organising the free cataract surgery programme is the need to give back to the society. He explained that the hospital management deliberately chose eye disorders among other conditions because cataract is one of the main causes of blindness.

LASUTH’s Head of Ophthalmology Department, Dr Rosemary Ngwu said the essence of the surgery is to complete the medical process the hospital started in February. She said cataract is one of the causes of blindness if left untreated. She emphasised that regular eye screening is one of the ways to curb the disease.

Ngwu also noted that the beneficiaries expressed their excitement at being chosen for the surgery, which is at no cost. She said they are particularly grateful to Sanwo-Olu for empowering LASUTH to carry out the surgeries.

One of the beneficiaries, Alhaji Akanji Adetunji appreciated the efforts of the state government and LASUTH Management. He said: “The focus on healthcare in the state has improved and I am fortunate to be a beneficiary”.

He implored the government and LASUTH management not to rest on their oars as more people all over the metropolis still required access to better healthcare.