Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State on Wednesday in Ilorin, pledged his commitment and willingness to collaborate with partners towards providing eye care services in the state.
He said this during the formal presentation of eye equipment donated by Sightsavers to the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Sightsavers is an international charity, working to prevent avoidable blindness, support equality for people with disabilities and advocate for change.
Represented by the state Head of Service, Mrs Susan Oluwole, he said his administration had committed to revamping the healthcare system across the 16 local government areas of the state.
AbdulRazaq commended Sightsavers for the donation of eye care equipment while describing the gesture as exemplary.
According to him, this is what is required of development partners and that the state is ready to collaborate with partners on progress in the healthcare system across the state.
He gave an assurance that the state would continue with its mantra of building more healthcare infrastructures, provision of hospital equipment and remuneration of healthcare workers.
The Chairman, Kwara House Committee on Health and Environment, AbdulRazaq Owolabi, , described the donation as a success story for the state.
He enjoined healthcare workers to make judicious use of the equipment to serve the people.
Owolabi said the state government appreciates the effort of the healthcare providers and would do everything necessary to ensure their needs are prioritised.
Earlier, the Country Director of Sightsavers, Dr. Sunday Isiyaku, pointed out that the eye care equipment donated are among the numerous healthcare intervention carried out by Sightsavers.
He commended the Kwara government for its commitment to eye care health, adding that such a gesture will motivate other development partners to also show commitment to eye care programmes in the state.
Dr. Isiyaku observed that the state has what it takes to organise eye healthcare programmes while pledging support in building the capacity of healthcare professionals through training for more experience.
In his welcome address, the Kwara Eye Care Coordinator, Dr. Kolade Solagberu, commended Sightsavers for the donation, which he said would help in the treatment and management of eye diseases.
He said the state government has shown support towards eyecare health with the building of infrastructures and rebuilding of existing ones.
NAN reports that some of the eye equipment includes Surgical Microscope and Visual Field Analyser.
(NAN)
