From Samaila Bayo, Birnin kebbi
The Federal Teaching Hospital Birnin kebbi in collaboration with the Sightsavers have screened over 300 persons for glaucoma disease in kebbi State.
While speaking to journalists, the lead team, Doctor Saka Eletu Sadiat said the one week screening exercise was necessary to commemorate 'The World Glaucoma Day', raise awareness, screen people for the ailment and institute treatment.
She said glaucoma is a disease that affects the nerves of the eyes, makes it to die and the affected person will never regain his sight again. "Unfortunately, blindness caused by glaucoma is irreversible unlike cataract", she said.
The medical doctor said she and her team were out to examine and screen people that presents themselves at the four centers created for the exercise because glaucoma does not give symptoms to the affected persons and their vision may just go down for a period of one year before they become blind.
She said "We had screened over 200 people so far. We screened 86 at Abdullahi Fodio University of Science and Technology where 5 high profile people had already established advanced stage of the disease while 10 others were asked to come to the hospital for evaluation". She added that 73 others at the federal teaching hospital in Birnin kebbi were also examined and screened for the disease.
Dr Eletu said they had also reached out to people at the local governments and as well asked people to come with their family members to be screened for glaucoma free of charge. "The response so far is not encouraging especially from the teachers. We are still waiting for them, maybe it's because of the fasting period. We want them to know that glaucoma causes blindness.
"We want them to avail themselves for screening so that if they have any sign or we suspect anything, they can be treated to prevent blindness from happening", the doctor said.
