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By Doris Obinna
In line with the vision of Restore Foundation for Child Sight (RFCS) to ensure attainment of full life potential through optimisation of eyesight in disadvantaged children, 101 spectacles and visual devices were presented at no cost to children living with albinism over the weekend at the Pavilion Hall of the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi, Lagos.
Speaking, executive director of RFCS, Dr. (Mrs.) Halima Alimi, revealed that children living with albinism encounter challenges in attaining greater heights in their academic pursuits due to poor vision.
She emphasised the need to support this group of children with a view to having a fair chance to perform optimally in life. She added that the foundation was determined to reach out to them and provide restorative devices to enhance their vision.
In achieving this mandate, Alimi disclosed that the foundation was collaborating with the Lagos Albinism Awareness Society to organise eye outing days, where preliminary vision tests could be carried out on the children and provide restorative devices to them.
She called on the Federal Government to develop policies that will mandate publishers to print large and bold textbooks for children with low vision.
“Government should also ensure proper registration of children with albinism at birth so that they can easily be reached for quick intervention,” she said.
Alimi also urged school teachers to have bold handwriting and always put children living with albinism at the front in classrooms.
The convener of Lagos Albinism Awareness Society, Mrs. Josephine Omolola, commended the laudable project being embarked upon by RFCS.
She admonished parents of children living with albinism to visit qualified medical professionals such as ophthalmologists for eye treatment and dermatologists to take proper care of their skin.
Omolola also urged parents to keep their children away from the damaging rays of the sun to prevent skin cancer.
Also, at the event, the general manager of Lagos State Office for Disability Affairs, (LASODA), Mr. Dare Dairo, decried that the cultural misconceptions about albinism was a critical challenge hindering children living with the condition from having a better quality of life.
He commended the commitment of RFCS in creating awareness about albinism and providing free corrective devices to properly manage the children’s visual disability.
He further enjoined parents to network with foundations such as Restore RFCS to acquire further information and resources that can be useful for effective management of their children. He also advised them to apply sunscreen lotion on their skin to prevent skin cancer which is expensive to manage.
