Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has commended the Lions Clubs International for their laudable projects being Carried out in the various communities to make the Society a better place to live in, even as the State’s Commissioner for Health, Dr. Banji Ajaka in another event, commissioned the Desk Office for Eye Care Data Capturing powered by the Lions Club International and domiciled in the Ministry of health.
The governor gave the commendation in his keynote address at the official commissioning of the upgraded Millennium Eye Centre at the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital (UNIMEDTH), Akure Complex funded by the Lions Club International Foundation today.
Akeredolu averred that his administration has since included integrated eye care as an integral component of its health system adding that the project has further brightened the hopes of people with visual impairments in the state.
While describing the eyes as an important part of the body, the governor noted that visual deficiencies could result in serious complications if not well managed.
He therefore commended the efforts of the Lions Club International in societal development and enjoined other corporate bodies and well meaning individuals to make similar contributions to human development.
While noting that government alone cannot address all the evolving challenges in the state, Akeredolu urged other private organisations to always emulate the Lions Club and support the state government in its developmental efforts.
The governor expressed the appreciation of the government and people of Ondo State to the leadership of the Lions Club International for the project describing the project as an uncommon gesture.
While also speaking at the event, the Immediate Past Council Chairperson of Lions Club International in Nigeria and Grant Administrator for the project, Lion Olumuyiwa Jegede said with the commissioning of the eye care centre, eye care services will now wear a new look in Ondo State in scope and outlook due to the quality and capacity of equipment that are installed in the centre.
Jegede noted that the upgraded Millennium Eye Care Centre was designed to bring a complete turn-around to eye care services in Ondo State.
In another development, Ondo State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Banji Ajaka has commissioned the Desk Office for Eye Care Data Capturing powered by the Lions Club International and domiciled in the Ministry of Health.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, the Immediate Past Council Chairperson of Lions Club International in Nigeria, Lion Olumuyiwa Jegede noted that the project was executed to assist Ondo State as a whole in data capturing for eye care services.
According to him, when the club was planning the Millennium Eye Care Centre at the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital (UNIMEDTH), Akure complex, it realised that there was no database for eye care services in Ondo State except for the one in UNIMEDTH.Jegede said the Lions Club thereafter decided to expand the scope of its Millennium Eye Care project to include data capturing, hence the creation of the office.
He noted that there is no other place the eye care data capturing desk office could be domiciled except in the Ministry of Health, being the umbrella body for all health care services in general in Ondo State.Jegede who averred that the Ministry of Health stands tall clearly in the public service of Ondo State urged the Ministry to assist the club in the area of deployment of desk officers to the desk office.
These desk officers, according to him include one Ophthalmic Nurse, one Information Communication Technology (ICT) Officer and one Foccal Person who is expected to oversee eye care services and interface directly with local government areas and primary health care centres across the state. Jegede said officials of the club are presently going round the eighteen local government areas of Ondo State to carry out outreaches at their doorsteps, a development he noted has increased referrals to Akure, the state capital. He affirmed that the installation of state-of-the-art equipment in the office starts immediately as the club is committed to increasing the profile of equipment in the desk office.In his keynote address at the event, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Banji Ajaka appreciated the Lions Club International for the eye care project stressing that data capturing is critical in health management system.Ajaka noted that the desk office will assist immensely in the collation of the data of people with visual impairments arising from cataract, glaucoma among others in the state for them to access prompt medical treatment.
Earlier in her welcome address, the Permanent Secretary, Ondo State Ministry of Health, Pharmacist (Mrs.) Folukemi Aladenola also appreciated the Lions Club International for the laudable project adding that it will assist the Ministry tremendously in data capturing as an integral part of eye care services. Aladenola averred that the people of Ondo State will benefit maximally from the project.
