Eye care should be included in primary healthcare services – NOA

The President of Nigerian Optometrics Association (NOA), Dr Chimeziri Anderson, has called for the inclusion of eye care into primary healthcare services.

He made the call when officials of a group called Sight Essilor Luxottica Foundation visited Gov. Alex Otti of Abia in Umuahia.

He also said that engaging optometrists at the primary healthcare centres would extend eyecare services to rural communities and record wider coverage.

Anderson said the Nigerian Optometrics Association (NOA) linked up the foundation with the Abia Government because of its desire to
address visual impairment caused by refractive errors.

He said apart from the mission of the group toward enhancing eyecare services in government-owned health facilities, the foundation
would establish 70 Eye Vision Centres in the country.

He added that the state would benefit from the establishment of three of such centres, to be sited at selected primary healthcare
centres at no cost to the government.

He also said that the foundation would establish an optical laboratory for the Southeast geopolitical zone, explaining that “these
initiatives align with our collective goal of enhancing eyecare service delivery with government-owned eye clinics.”

Anderson, therefore, advised the government to commence internship training for optometrists in government tertiary healthcare
facilities and to review the renumeration of optometry doctors in the state.

Responding, Gov. Otti thanked the association for choosing  Abia as one of the states to benefit in the first phase of the proposed
eye care centres.

He said that the government would identify the primary healthcare centres that would house the proposed centres.

“I thank you for considering our state, but just like Oliver Twist, we will always ask for more, but I think what is important for
now is to take advantage of the offer and work closely with you.”

On the upward review of renumeration of optemetrics, Otti said the government was working with relevant stakeholders to
address the issue.