by Abia state Governor, Dr Alex Otti has applauded the decision of the Nigerian Optometric Association to set up a national eye center in the state and pledged to give them all the support to actualise the project.
The Governor was speaking when he received in audience, Executive members of the Nigerian Optometric Association led by the national President, Dr Chimeziri Anderson.
He thanked the Association for its decision to consider Abia as one of the states to benefit in the first phase of the proposed eye vision centres to address the prevalent issue of visual impairment due to refractive errors.
According to the Governor, government will identify the areas where the centres will be located and pledged to provide the needed support for the take off of the project.
“I want to also thank you for the decision to consider Abia. 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.
The Governor said that his administration has started the process of renovating primary health centers in the state, assuring that it will come to reality as soon as the renovation and retrofitting of general hospitals are concluded.
“Anything that we do we do it very well, so as we start the process of renovating primary healthcare centres, because we started with 3 general hospitals and we move to the remaining 12 because there are 15 general hospitals.
“We are just retrofitting them and bringing them up to speed with current realities in healthcare delivery. As we complete with that, we move over to the primary health centres”, Governor Otti noted.
On the request for the upward review of salaries and allowances of Optometry Doctors in the Abia state civil service, Governor Otti revealed that his Special Adviser on Labour relations is working on dealing with salary review holistically.
Earlier in an address, the national President of the Association, Dr Chimeziri Anderson who came in company of the ONE SIGHT ESSILOR LUXOTTICA FOUNDATION, said they have decided to set up Optical laboratories in select regions of Nigeria, of which Umuahia, Abia state has been chosen for the Eastern Region.
Dr Anderson said the Association has considered Abia as one of the states where the first phase of first level Vision Centres will be established and must be at the primary Centres free of charge.
He noted that the project which will cover the 36 states including the FCT has been Kick-started in Abia state in recognition of Governor Otti’s healthcare drive which is evident by his increased budgetary allocation to health care.
Dr Anderson used the forum to request for the commencement of internship training for optometrists in the state Higher institutions, engagement of Optometrists per local government through the primary health development Agency to extend eye care services to rural Communities and the review of salaries and allowances of Optometry Doctors in the Abia state civil service among others.
The Governor was joined in the meeting by his Senior Special Assistant on Special duties, Dr Betty Emeka-Obasi who is a member of the Association and Supervises the eye clinic at the Abia Specialist and Diagnostic center, Umuahia.
