Lagos State government said on Tuesday that about 250,000 persons would benefit from the re-launched ‘Jigi Bola’ healthcare initiative aimed at improving the vision of the visually impaired.
Speaking at the re-launch of the free health mission at the Ikeja Police College, Ikeja, the state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, represented by his deputy, Kadri Obafemi Hamzat said the initiative was launched twenty years ago under the former governor of the state, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, out of concern for the wellbeing of Lagosians.
The governor, who explained that it was conceived as an initiative to address the issue of growing preventable visual impairment among residents of the state said many Lagos residents would have lost their sights in the state were it not for the free medical mission.
“This initiative which was named ‘JigiBola’ under the Blindness Prevention Programme offered free eye screening, free eyeglasses and free surgical operations. Thousands of Lagosians who would have lost their sight as a result of inadequate awareness and lack of financial means benefitted from this programme.
“Today, we are relaunching the Jigi-Bola initiative in celebration of one of the many legacy grassroots outreach programmes of the administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu and to restate our commitment to improving the wellbeing and welfare of Lagosians.
I am pleased to announce that our administration has taken a step further with the Jigi-Bola initiative by broadening its scope to include hearing aid programme, which will cater to the needs of Lagosians with hearing difficulty through the provision of hearing aids and other medical support.’’
He said the initiative was opened to all Lagosians, including those at the grassroots across the 20 local government areas of the state. The services to be offered include early detection of eye conditions that may lead to blindness, eye and ear health education, free eye surgery and treatment, and also the distribution of hearing aids and eyeglasses,’’ he said.
First lady of Lagos, Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu said the relaunch of Jigi-Bola health mission, which is a free sight and hearing aid programme of the Lagos State Government, marked a significant landmark in the annals of Lagos State and a clear testament of the determination of the administration of Governor Sanwo-Olu to prioritise all aspects of healthcare delivery.
Speaking also, Anthony Adefuye said the Jigi-Bola programme which gained instant acceptance, during the administration of Tinubu, became a household name on everyone’s lips.
He said the Jigi-Bola was being resuscitated, to bring back its old glory and to put smiles on the faces of Lagosians.
