Katsina Woman Regains Sight at Ekiti University Teaching Hospital

By Lere Olayinka
 Hajiyah Aminat Abubakar (right) with a lady, who led him to Ado-Ekiti
Hajiyah Aminat Abubakar (right) with a lady, who led him to Ado-Ekiti

After being blind for ten years, Hajiyah Aminat Abubakar, a woman from Katsina State has regained her sight at the newly established Ophthalmology Centre at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH), Ado –Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital.

Hajiyah Abubakar, who came all the way from Katsina when she heard the news of the establishment of the Eye Centre was among the over 405 slated for free surgery during the second phase of the State Free Surgical Festival.

Speaking after the successful operation, Hajiyah Abubakar said she had been blind for ten years and has gone to many hospitals around the country for treatment all to no avail.

Hajiyah Abubakar, who was full of joy, gave kudos to the State Governor, Engr. Segun Oni, Chief Medical Director of the University Teaching Hospital, Dr. Patrick Adegun, and the Cuban doctors working in the Ophthalmology Centre.

She hailed the State Government for establishing the modern Ophthalmology Centre and organizing the Free Eye Surgery, which she described as Allah's idea.

Aminat demonstrated to all present that she could now see clearly.

Speaking at the occasion, the Chief Medical Director, Dr. Patrick Adegun disclosed that quite a lot of cases of eye defects have been successfully treated at the Ophthamological centre because of the state of the facilitated at the centre and the world class personnel provided by the government.

It would be recalled that what could be described as "a medical miracle" was performed by doctors at the Ophthalmology Centre when a blind student of the University of Ado-Ekiti (UNAD), Miss Roseline Temitayo Ojo had her sight restored after undergoing a surgery.

Miss Ojo, a final year student of Business Administration at UNAD had lost all hopes of regaining her sight, which she lost in mysterious circumstances in January, this year, when she lost her sight after which she was diagnosed of retinal detachment affecting her two eyes.

She however regained her sight after undergoing an operation at the Eye Centre.

In his own reaction, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr.

Wale Ojo-Lanre said the success recorded at the centre so far was an indication that God Himself is at the helm of affairs in Ekiti State.

“If just less than six months that the Ophthalmology Centre started operation, people are now coming from as far as Katsina State to Ekiti and their sights are being restored, God deserve all the praises. He alone is the one that we give glory to and we will continue to thank Him because ours is God's own project,” he said.

He urged those with one eye defect or the other to avail themselves of the unique opportunity by patronizing the ophthamological centre at little or no cost.