Garri consumption does not cause blindness
– Ophthalmologist
By Doh Bertrand Nua in Kumba
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A two-day free eye screening campaign has
ended at the Kumba district hospital.
Organized at the instance of the hospital director, Dr. EBONGO
ZacheusNanje, the event on 1 and 2 September had as objective to detect eye
defects in children and parents.
Explaining
the timing of the campaign, Dr. EBONGO said it was organized just before
back-to-school because it is the period when greater attention should be given
to the children.
The
consultant ophthalmologist said without such free campaigns most people with
eye problems cannot avail themselves to be diagnosed and treated.
Dr.
EBONGO revealed that eye problems retard the learning process in children and
compels children with sight impairment to always occupy the front seats of
their classes and lecture halls.
He
noted that eye defects also cause many parents to loose their jobs thus
dispossessing them of much-needed resources for the up keep of their families.
In
an interview with The Median newspaper, Dr. EBONGO expressed satisfaction at
the massive turnout of the public for the campaign.
"I
am so impressed with the wonderful turnout of the population both children and
adults. At least 300 persons have benefited from the campaign," he said.
According
to statistics gathered from the campaign, the most common eye problems detected
were due to refraction error. Such defects can be corrected by using a simple
pair of prescribed glasses, Dr. Ebongo said, noting that such minor eye defects
cause distractions and low concentration as well as hinder performance at the
job site.
Over
FCFA 450.000 was used for the two-day campaign that was jointly funded by the
hospital and the patients.
"The
district hospital bore 60% of the cost, while the patients were provided with
medicated glasses at a subsidized rate," Dr. Ebongo revealed.
The hospital’s staff that took part in the
campaign were given special bonuses to motivate them.
Dr.
EBONGO used the campaign to also dispel the misconception that garri
consumption causes blindness.
"It
has not been scientifically proven that garri causes blindness," he said,
recalling that it was a Nigerian professor of ophthalmology who came up with
the hypothesis after he realised that most people from Eastern and South
Eastern Nigeria where cassava products are the staple food, developed optic
nerve problems. As such, he purported that it was the heavy metals contained in
some cassava species that caused the problem.
With
the resumption of the new academic year 2016/2017, Dr. EBONGO
cautioned parents and guardians to ensure their children consume balanced diets
as it contains vitamin A which prevents night blindness, eye dryness and eye
ulcers.
"The eye like any other organ of the
body, needs all the nutrients for it's optimum functioning," he concluded.
Pic
Dr. EBONGO ZacheusNanje
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