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The Permanent Secretary Akwa Ibom State Hospitals Management Board, Mrs. Stella Etukakpan has assured Optometrists in the State of Government’s commitment in ensuring that health facilities give quality eye care services.
This was made known during a courtesy visit by the Executives of the Akwa Ibom State Chapter of Nigerian Optometric Association, today.
The Permanent Secretary said the State Government’s huge investment in the health sector through reconstruction, remodeling and equipping of secondary health facilities across the State is to ensure that all units in these facilities are functional.
Mrs. Etukakpan stated that with functional optometry units in the health facilities, the prevalence of vision impairment and blindness in the State will be reduced.
She commended Optometrists for their contributions towards providing quality care for the treatment and management of visual health while urging them to continue in their good works.
Earlier in his address, the State Chairman, Nigerian Optometric Association, Akwa Ibom Chapter, Dr. Idongesit Paul, who said the establishment of the umbrella body of Doctors of Optometry since 1968, was aimed at building a world in which no one is needlessly blind and where those with unavoidable vision loss can attain their full potential.
He held that Optometrists are the primary healthcare practitioners of the eye and visual system and as such, more Optometrists be employed in government hospitals and health centers.
He also intimated the Permanent Secretary, of the World Sight Day rally with the theme “Love Your Eyes” which will hold tomorrow, Thursday 14th October, 2021 at Green Park, Dominic Utuk Avenue, Uyo.
The highpoint of the visit was the presentation of the rally Tee-shirt by the Head of Department, Optometry Dept, UUTH, Dr. Ndifreke Inwang, to the Permanent Secretary. Present during the Courtesy visit were some Directors from the Board as well as Executives of NOA, Akwa Ibom State Chapter.
