Ondo State government has distributed free eyeglasses to more than 7,000 people this year under its "Festivals of Free Eye Surgery."
Commissioner for Health, Kehinde Adedeji, told the News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN ) in Akure that distribution of the glasses was part of government's initiative to improve the sight of the people.
Adedeji said government had carried out three rounds of free eye surgery this year, in its determination to provide health care for those who could not afford the cost of surgery.
He said during the period, government carried out free eye surgeries on 650 patients and initiated a free eye test programme, which began about two months ago, to enable everybody in the state undergo free eye test, adding that the free eye test would enable the people to check the pressure on their eyes in order to know the state of the visual organ.
Adedeji noted that if the pressure on the eyes was too high, it might lead to glaucoma, saying: "Prevention is better than cure, because glaucoma in the eyes is irreversible and that is the reason the state government is offering free services to check eye pressure."
Adedeji said government had spent N200 million this year, to assist those with heart, kidney and spinal cord problems, while another N10 million was spent on those seeking medical treatment abroad.
He said the state government had also introduced free ante-natal services, while children between the ages of zero and five years received free medical care.
