The Orile-Agege General Hospital (OAGH), in partnership with the Attom Foundation, has offered free eye screenings and cataract surgeries to 200 residents across Lagos, in a bid to curb preventable blindness and improve community health.
The two-day medical outreach, which commenced on Tuesday, was organised by the Lagos State Ministry of Health’s Blindness Prevention Programme Unit in collaboration with OAGH, with support from the Attom Foundation.
Speaking during the exercise, Dr. Oluyemi Taiwo, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of OAGH, said the initiative was designed to reduce cases of avoidable blindness, particularly cataracts, which often result from ageing or eye trauma.
“Our goal is to give every patient the opportunity to receive proper care. This programme reflects our commitment to excellence and our passion to reduce needless blindness in Lagos communities,” Taiwo said.
She added that the initiative included free distribution of eyeglasses and medications, alongside surgeries for those diagnosed with advanced cataracts. According to her, collaborations with more non-governmental organisations and foundations would help expand the reach of similar healthcare interventions.
The Director of Projects at Attom Foundation, Tarik Abubakar, noted that many elderly people silently lose their vision because they cannot afford treatment. He explained that the outreach aimed to restore dignity and independence through free medical services.
“Beneficiaries received screenings, prescription glasses, medications and, where necessary, cataract surgeries. Something as simple as a pair of glasses can completely transform a person’s daily life,” Abubakar said. He also encouraged preventive practices such as proper hygiene, wearing sunglasses, eating more vegetables, and seeking timely medical attention.
Also speaking, Dr. Erinosho Mazeedat, Director of Medical Administration, Training and Programmes at the Lagos State Ministry of Health, explained that the exercise was part of the state’s IBILE initiative, which delivers free medical outreach across Lagos divisions.
She revealed that the team also extended screenings to pupils of Olusosun Primary School in Ikeja, where some children with refractive errors were given free corrective lenses.
Mazeedat stressed the importance of regular health checks, urging residents to embrace annual medical screenings beyond outreach programmes.
The hospital and its partners expressed optimism that continuous interventions of this nature would significantly reduce preventable blindness in Lagos, ultimately improving the quality of life for residents.
