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In a move that has brought hope to thousands of families in Jigawa State, the German Federal Ministry of Finance’s economic cooperation and development arm, BMZ, has launched a campaign to combat childhood blindness.
The initiative, aimed at promoting comprehensive and inclusive eye health, has received widespread acclaim from stakeholders and beneficiaries alike.
At a recent one-day workshop organised for working journalists in Jigawa State, BMZ officials made a passionate appeal to the media to support their campaign.
The event, which focused on the role of the media in sensitising and mobilising the general public, was attended by prominent journalists and health experts.
In a remark at the occasion, Mr. Nenfot Paul, a Programme Officer at BMZ, a German based NGO, said, “Community awareness and mobilisation are crucial in addressing the prevalence of blindness in Jigawa State.”
The Program Officer stated that, “detecting the signs of eye ailments and referring cases to professional health facilities is pivotal in our quest to combat childhood blindness,”
Paul emphasised that “the statistics are alarming: 23 local government areas in Jigawa State have high rates of childhood blindness, making urgent intervention necessary.”
He added that the “BMZ’s campaign is a welcome respite for families struggling to access quality eye care services in the state.
In his presentation which focused on the overview of BMZ’s activities in the state, the Eye Care Coordinator at the Jigawa State Ministry of Health Dr. Abdulrahman Umar Aminu explained that the organisation has been collaborating with the state government to build the capacity of health workers, mobilise communities to identify eye cases, and provide ophthalmic equipments to health facilities.
“Through the BMZ’s intervention, over 70,000 cataract surgeries and 48,000 trichiasis surgeries have been conducted free of charge in Jigawa State and additionally, over 7,000 reading glasses have been distributed to school children, giving them a new lease on life,” he revealed.
“The impact of BMZ’s campaign is evident in the lives of the countless individuals who have benefited from their services. For many, the prospect of regaining their sight is a dream come true.”
Commenting at the event, the Chairman of the Jigawa State Correspondent Chapel, Comrade Muh’d Zangina, who observed that BMZ’s efforts have not gone unnoticed in Jigawa, assured the organisers and beneficiaries that media organisation will continue to support and promote the activities of the organisation for the benefits of the common man.
“As the campaign gains momentum, the people of Jigawa State are beginning to see a glimmer of hope with the BMZ’s tireless efforts, media’s support and the fight against childhood blindness is slowly but surely being won,” Zangina stressed.
