The Calabar Atakpa Lions Club has offered free eye screening and treatment to over 3,000 bus drivers and shop owners at the Etim Edem park on Wednesday in Calabar.
The beneficiaries were given free glasses after the screening, while others with complicated issues were referred to the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital for further treatment.
The President of the Club, Mrs Sylvia Eyamba-Osadede, said that the initiative from the Club was to help in correcting the sight of most drivers, especially as the festive period draw closer.
Eyamba-Osadebe said it was very necessary to take care of the sight of drivers because they convey large numbers of passengers to different destinations.
“This outreach is very necessary to us because sight is the first focus of Lions Club and we are here to reach out to our communities.
“We are getting into the season where people travel alot; so we need to get the sight of the drivers correctly because alot of accidents can occur due to poor sight on the side of the drivers.
“Apart from screening their sight, we are also talking to them about their nutrition and what to eat. We are also making referrals to the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital for advanced treatment,” she said.
Also speaking, the District Governor of District 404 A2, Mr Soni Eloma, said that the Club’s priority in the past 100 years was the care for the human eye.
Eloma, said that Lions Club the world over had become the light of the blind, saying that the Club had devoted time and phases of programmes in taking care of the sight.
“In the past 100 years, Lion Club has devoted their time and programmes to attend to the need of people in the area of sight and we have provided surgeries and other treatment for sight victims.
“Today, we have also delved in other areas like diabetes, paediatric cancer, protecting our environment and relieving hunger; all these are signs that the Club is devoted to the wellbeing of humanity.
“But, sight has remained a critical part of us. A few days ago was World Sight Day and we did sight related activities which include awareness and treatment.
“For today, we decided to bring the services closer to the people who may not other wise have the time to attend to us at the designated centres we have placed for the screening,” he said.
One of the beneficiaries and a bus driver, Mr James Okon, who got free eye glasses, thanked the club for bringing the advocacy and treatment to the park.
A shop owner in the park, Ms. Patricia Agbor, who lauded the Club’s gesture, called on other association’s and NGO’s to emulate the goodwill of the Lions Club. (NAN)