……..Emetu, Health Commissioner, FRSC Champion Road Safety as Stakeholders, School Competition Winners Receive Awards.
FIC REPORT (ALIA STATE) — The Abia State Government has established 25 eye clinics and vision centres across the state’s 17 local government areas, screened 31,152 people and performed more than 2,000 eye surgeries in just over two years as part of efforts to prevent avoidable blindness and expand access to eye care.
The achievements were highlighted on Thursday, October 15, 2026, during the 2026 World Sight Day celebration held at the Prof. Nnenna Oti Bus Terminal, Umuahia.
Organised by the Abia State Eye Health Management Bureau in collaboration with the Ministries of Health, Transport and Education and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), the event featured free eye screening, road safety sensitisation, a keynote address, stakeholder recognition and awards for winners of an inter-school competition.
While the global theme was “Love Your Eyes,” Abia adopted the theme “Safe Eyes, Safe Roads, Safe Lives” to emphasise the importance of good vision in preventing road crashes and protecting lives.
Representing Governor Alex Chioma Otti, OFR, the Deputy Governor, Engr. Ikechukwu Emetu, FNSE, reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to preventive healthcare and road safety, describing good eyesight as an essential requirement for safe driving.
Emetu noted that recognising road signs, judging distances, identifying pedestrians and responding promptly to hazards were critical to preventing accidents. He urged commercial drivers and transport operators to take advantage of the free eye-screening services, stressing that regular examinations could help detect visual problems early.
The Deputy Governor commended the Eye Health Management Bureau, the FRSC and the relevant ministries and partners for their collaboration. He also unveiled one of the visual corridors at the terminal to promote regular eye examinations and responsible driving.
The Administrator of the Abia State Eye Health Management Bureau, Dr. Betty Emeka Obasi,earlier in her welcome address disclosed that the bureau had attended to more than 33,884 patients, screened 31,152 people through community outreaches, performed over 2,000 surgeries, including free cataract operations, and identified more than 6,381 glaucoma cases.
She attributed the achievements to Governor Otti’s commitment to healthcare reform, noting that the establishment of 25 eye clinics and vision centres across the state’s 17 local government areas had brought eye-care services closer to residents.
Obasi warned that some eye conditions could cause irreversible blindness if not detected and treated early. She cautioned residents against patronising unqualified practitioners or using unprescribed substances to treat eye problems, while urging people, particularly those aged 40 and above, to undergo regular eye examinations. She also encouraged parents to ensure their children receive proper eye screening.
The Commissioner for Health, Prof. Enoch Ogbonnaya Uche also in his address, said good vision was essential to personal well-being, economic productivity and public safety.
He warned that untreated refractive errors, cataracts, glaucoma and other eye conditions could impair driving ability and increase the risk of road crashes.
He urged drivers to take advantage of the screening services and reminded them that good eyesight must be complemented by compliance with traffic regulations, avoidance of excessive speed, adequate rest and abstinence from alcohol and other substances that impair judgment.
Uche said the initiative aligned with the Otti administration’s health system transformation agenda, including Project Ekwueme, through which primary healthcare centres are being revitalised and community eye-care services integrated into healthcare delivery.
The Abia State FRSC Sector Commander, CC Ngozi I. Ezeoma, warned that impaired vision could result in delayed reactions, poor judgment, collisions, injuries and avoidable deaths.
Ezeoma urged motorists to undergo regular eye examinations, wear prescribed corrective lenses and avoid self-medication. She also called on transport unions and fleet operators to make routine vision screening part of their drivers’ welfare and safety programmes.
She stressed that driving experience could not substitute for good eyesight and urged licensing personnel and medical professionals to ensure that visual acuity assessments were properly conducted during the driver’s licensing process. She further advised drivers experiencing visual difficulties to seek professional attention, noting that their responsibility extended beyond their own lives to the passengers entrusted to their care.
In his goodwill message, the Commissioner for Transport, Dr. Chimezie Isaac Ukaegbu, commended the Eye Health Management Bureau for taking preventive healthcare services directly to transport operators and commuters.
Ukaegbu reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to working with health institutions, transport unions and road safety agencies to promote regular eye screening and responsible driving across the state. He urged commercial drivers, tricycle operators, motorists and other road users to prioritise eye examinations, while encouraging transport unions and fleet managers to promote visual fitness among their members and employees.
The guest speaker, Dr. Ijeoma Ugboaku Alozie, delivered a keynote address on World Sight Day and the theme, “Safe Eyes, Safe Roads, Safe Lives,” highlighting the importance of eye-health awareness, early detection of visual problems and clear vision in promoting road safety.
The event also featured awards and recognition for stakeholders and partners in acknowledgement of their contributions to eye-health promotion and the success of the programme. Winners of the inter-school competition were equally recognised for their role in promoting eye-health and road-safety awareness among young people.
The celebration brought together commercial drivers, transport union representatives, healthcare professionals, road safety personnel, secondary school students and other stakeholders, reinforcing the call for regular eye examinations and safer road practices across Abia State.
Amah Ijeoma
FIC Correspondent office of the Deputy Governor
15/10/2026
