A Renowned Optometrist, Dr Ikenna Ugwu has offered free eye care services to over 300 citizens of Amechi Uwani and surrounding communities of Enugu South Local Governentl Area of Enugu State.
Ugwu who offered services such as free eye examinations, free eye medications, diagnosis, High Blood Pressure checks among others, also donated free eye glasses, free masking contact lens, medications among other items to the beneficiaries, all worth millions of naira.
The Agbor, Delta State--based Optometrist, said the programme was designed to immortalise his late parents , revered for their unparalled philanthropy.
"I engaged two Optometrists for the exercise. We discovered that most people do not even know they have eye-related deficiencies that pose serious dangers to their sights and health in general.
"I performed similar outreaches during my National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme in Delta and discovered that most people suffer from complications of sight ailments due to late report of cases.
"This late report of cases is mainly caused by ignorance, harmful traditional practices among other factors but we educate them against such behaviours,".
Dr. Ugwu noted that the outreach then earned him automatic employment by the Delta state government as he presently choose to replicate such gesture to his people.
"I advise people to take good care of their eyes and general health well-being to avoid emergency and irredemable situations.
"We had a situations where some beneficiaries said they have not checked their eyes, blood pressures since the past six months and most declined visiting the hospitals when informed of such condition,".
Chief Geoffrey Umeanuka, a Stakeholder and Businessman, said that Ugwu's community and indeed the entire state, should be proud of him.
Umeanuka, who is an inlaw to the donor, said the crowd who turned up for the event was overwhelming and all of them receivved free eye-care services.
"Dr Ugwu Ikenna is my late sister's son as philanthropy runs in the family's blood as testified by people of the area,".
Engr. Kenechukwu Ugwu, the donor's younger brother, said that the outreach was the family's well-thought out decision to honour their late parents
"We felt the need to give back to the society in an unprecedented way, to thank God for his mercies upon us and the lives of our late parents,".
Miss Amarachi Odoh, a Caterer commended Dr. Ugwu for the gesture noting that it impacted positively on the beneficiaries considering the present economic situation in the country.
Odoh, one of the those who helped in coordinating the event, said most people who do not have funds to access health services, availed the outreach's opportunity to access such services.
Chief Julius Ani, a 89--Old Beneficiary, prayed for long life and other God's blessings upon the donor as he didn't expect to see such intervention in his lifetime.
The chairman of Umuaniachi family, Mr Chibuzor Ogbodo,who also benefitted from the program was full of praise to God and to Dr.Ugwu and prayed that God reward him abundantly.
Many of the beneficiaries who also spoke at the event, urged the government and public spirited groups / individuals to partner with Ugwu in any capacity it deems fit to help in eliminating preventible blindness.
They also called on other well-meaning persons, to emulate the donor's gesture.
