Plateau govt. tasks residents on regular eye checks

The Plateau Government has called on residents of the state to prioritise their eye health through regular eye checks.

READ ALSO:Nigeria Reaffirms Commitment to Fighting Glaucoma, Targets Improved Eye Health Services

Dr Nicholas Baamlong, the Commissioner for Health in the state, made the call during a road walk organised to commemorate the 2025 World Glaucoma Week, on Thursday in Jos.

The walk was organised by a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Health and Development Support Programme (HANDS).

According to Baamlong, the state government in partnership with foreign partners, had invested heavily toward promoting eye health in the state.

He also advised citizens of the state to support those with visual impairment and other forms of disabilities.

“Let me seize this opportunity to encourage our dear citizens to prioritise their eye health.

“You must seek regular eye checks and support your loved ones with visual impairment.

“Collectively, we will continue to address the challenges of glaucoma and other eye related conditions that are affecting our communities,” he said.

Also speaking, Mr Abalis Dassat, the Eye Health Manager of HANDS, noted that glaucoma was a leading cause of blindness globally, hence the need for aggressive awareness.

Dassat expressed concern that the symptoms of glaucoma are often silent, adding that most people hardly know about it in time.

He also stressed the need for Nigerians to regularly check their eyes, insisting that the challenges associated with blindness on the individual and the society could be devastating.

NAN/Wumi