The Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, on Wednesday decried rising incidence of blindness caused by cataract and challenged ophthalmologists in the country to take measures to halt the trend.
Uduaghan, declaring open the 38th Annual General Meeting/Scientific Conference of the Ophthalmological Society of Nigeria in Asaba, Delta State, wondered why preventable blindness due to cataract was still on the rise.
The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Prof. Amos Utuama (SAN), informed that “statistics by WHO indicate that 90 per cent of blind people live in the developing countries of the world.
“Of these, 65 per cent are caused by cataract.
“This represents 22 million people afflicted worldwide.
“Glaucoma is responsible for blindness in six million people, while onchocerciasis and leprosy each blind approximately one million people worldwide.
“These data are indications of the huge challenges that lie ahead of practising ophthalmologists.
“Cataract is a cause of preventable blindness, but it is still regrettably responsible for the highest causes of blindness in our society.
“This should not be acceptable to us as members of the medical profession, especially for members of the Ophthalmological Society of Nigeria.”
Uduaghan informed that the Delta State Government has embarked on a number of campaigns against the scourge of blindness, adding: “Treatment of ocular diseases, especially cataract, is one of the areas of emphasis in the Free Rural Health Scheme of Delta State.”
Uduaghan commended the commitment of the OSN to improving eye health of Nigerians but noted that more efforts should be deployed in the crusade against blindness.
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