Akwa Ibom Benefits from Free Eye Treatment.

Over a thousand five hundred members of the public in the Eket area of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, recently defied heavy rainfalls, to attend a Free Vision Care Outreach organized by Latter Day-Saint Charities, the humanitarian arm of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in collaboration with Rainbow Vision clinic, Government House Clinic, Charis Eye Clinic and  Majesty Hospitals. The 3-day event resulted in 57 Cataract surgeries with 654 beneficiaries receiving bifocal and single vision glasses. Hundreds of others received medications for various eye ailments.

Coordinated by Dr Ekanem Effiong of Rainbow Vision Clinic with support from 24 medical personnel and 25 volunteers from the Church, screening was done at the Eket Nigeria Stake Centre of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints located along SDP road, Eket, while the surgeries were performed at the Eket Polyclinic, Eket.

The representative of the Eket Local Government, Mrs Gloria Ekpo and the Medical Director of  Eket Polyclinic, Mrs Uwem Samuel Etukakpan, spoke of the immense relief they felt and got from members of the public who benefited from the exercise. Mrs Etukakpan said, ‘I am glad to be a partner in this God-inspired exercise, seeing the smiles on these patients faces is a big relief to me’. 'I have never had such a massive influx of patients since I was posted here', she added.

16-year old Samuel Friday Ben, one of the beneficiaries, said immediately after his eye surgery; “I feel happy because I know by the time this plaster is removed, I will be able to see. I am very grateful to the church for this treatment”. 

Dr. Victor Akpan of Akwa Ibom Government State House Clinic said “I want to commend the church highly and commendably because since my years of practice, there are very few institutions that can put in so much into  healthcare as the church has done.”. Dr. Akpan played a huge role in the overall success of the outreach, especially the eye surgery sessions. 

Mercy Akpan another eye specialist was overwhelmed by the outcome of the free eye treatment clinic as she said; “I have been going for outreaches for the past 7 years, and I can tell you this is one of the best planned, controlled, coordinated, organized, outreach I have ever attended.    Everybody was at their duty post with their uniforms. The ushers were amazing. Also, one of the eye surgery theater staff told me that a patient read 6:9 after an operation. With my 7 years’ experience, I know this is a miracle because I know what it means for a patient to read 6:9 after an eye surgery".

Speaking at the devotional before the commencement of the exercise, Ikpe Nkanang, National Director of Public Affairs, Nigeria said; “LDS Charities makes life easier and greater for humanity, whether or not you are a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We want you to have your eye sight restored so that you can read your scriptures”.

Latter-Day Saint Charities’ mission is to prevent avoidable blindness and visual impairment as it strengthens eye care services to the poor. Since 2003 more than 550,000 people have benefited from Church vision projects throughout the world. In 2018 alone, 309,800 had access to LDS Charities vision screening across 35 countries on the globe.