By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The sight of five children suffering from cataracts was recently restored after undergoing surgeries funded by a notable humanitarian club, Rotary District 9110 Eye Hospital, Ota, Ogun State.
It was gathered that three of the beneficiaries were born blind due to congenital cataracts, while two developed cataracts in one eye after injuries.
The children were given the medical attention of the hospital’s Cataract Surgical Mission, with funds from Dr Yinka Osoba of the Rotary Club of Yeovil and Global Sight Solutions, a UK-based blindness prevention organisation.
“We sought sponsors to reduce the backlog of children awaiting cataract surgery. There is a huge backlog of kids waiting for cataract surgeries in public hospitals because these facilities are usually overwhelmed with many children waiting for various surgeries, and this leaves their future uncertain,” the Secretary of the Rotary District 9110 Eye Hospital Charitable Trust, Dr Basirat Giwa, said.
She expressed optimism that this is the first of many “future interventions” to help restore sight and empower children on the verge of total blindness.
“It is heart-warming that many organisations address adult cataracts, but paediatric cases are less common due to the need for anaesthesia and the scarcity of paediatric surgeons,” the medical practitioner stated, noting that Rotary District 9110 Eye Hospital seeks additional partners, including Rotarians, corporations, and public-spirited individuals, to expand its reach because early intervention is crucial for optimal vision outcomes in children.
Since its opening in December 2022, the Rotary District 9110 Eye Hospital has transformed countless lives, with over 2,000 individuals benefitting from affordable high-quality cataract surgery and 3,000 beneficiaries of glasses prescriptions and Glaucoma management.
