BY SOLA OGUNDIPE
AS part of its corporate social responsibility and efforts to forestall the onset of preventable eye disorders such glaucoma and trachoma which lead to blindness, Pfizer Specialities Nigeria recently held free eye screening services in Abuja, Ilorin, Kano, Osun, Akwa-Ibom and Delta States.

A donation of Zithromax was officially handed to the Minister of Health in Abuja through the company’s International trachoma Initiative.

Urging Nigerians to go for regular eye examinations, Medical Director, Pfizer Specialities Limited, Dr. Kodjo Soroh, described glaucoma as the second leading cause of preventable blindness worldwide.

Soroh, who spoke in Abuja during a free glaucoma screening exercise organised by Pfizer in partnership with several teaching hospitals, the Optometrist Society of Nigeria, OSN, the Nigeria Optometric Association, NOA and the Ayo Bello Foundation noted that glaucoma is the second leading cause of preventable blindness worldwide, not because of lack of effective methods for diagnosis and treatment, but due to limited public awareness.

“It does not help that the disease is asymptomatic in its early stages that is why it is called the silent thief of sight,” he said.

Country Manager, PPfizer, Mr. Enrico Liggeri observed that the company had made a commitment to help reduce the burden of trachoma and glaucoma – the two major causes of preventable blindness in Nigeria. “Pfizer is doing this through several donations of drugs in minimising incidences of blinding trachoma and through free screenings that will help the early detection of glaucoma.”

According to Pfizer’s Associate Director, Public Affairs & Communications, Mrs. Margaret Olele: “The gift of sight is too valuable to take for granted and the key to preventing the progression to vision loss is early detection. We cannoty separate eye health from economic development,” she acknowleged.