Treatment of eye diseases with laser machines has now become possible in Abia following the intervention of Senator Theodore Orji in his bid to provide free eye care services for people in his constituency.
He made this known during his assessment of his free eye care programme being implemented at the eye centre located on Ohafia Street Umuahia. Senator Orji who represents Abia Central senatorial district, was instrumental to the installation of state of the art eye treatment equipment at the centre in line with his philosophy of that health comes first before other social amenities. He stated that the health status of his constituents was of utmost priority to him, noting that the benefits of improved infrastructure and other dividends of democracy could only be more meaningful when the people are healthy.
“If one is blind, he will not see the tarred road,” he said, adding that he had made the health care of the people he represents a top priority. Orji said that he was satisfied with the success recorded so far in his free eye care programme following the emotional phone calls he had been receiving from beneficiaries, especially old people. According to him, 604 people benefited from the free eye care programme which commenced last year while 159 persons have so far benefited in 2019. “It means we are growing”, he said with satisfaction, assuring that the free eye care would be expanded to include people from outside Abia and eventually put an end to medical tourism by Nigerians.
The two term Abia governor said that giving people good health is a legacy he was very keen to bequeath to the people because “as a politician (in a privileged position) I have to give back to the society”. “It is from my heart,” Orji said, adding that the free eye care programme would be expanded to take care of people with diabetes and hypertension problems and encouraged the doctor in charge of the eye clinic and his team to do their best for humanity,” he assured.
