By Nkechinyere Ewa-Okpara
More than 1,000 women in Ebonyi State and beyond have regained their sight through the Free Eye Care Initiative of the David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences (DUFUHS), Uburu, making them the majority beneficiaries of the life-changing programme.
Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Jesse Uneke, said women account for 54 percent of the 2,412 patients treated since the programme began in February 2025. He explained that women are more prone to eye diseases because of their constant exposure to firewood smoke, quarry dust, rice mills, and sawmills without protective gadgets.
“When women go blind, the entire family suffers,” Prof. Uneke said during a media tour of the Institute for Eye Health and Visual Sciences Research, where the project is domiciled. “Restoring their sight is not just health care it is economic empowerment.”
One of the beneficiaries, Mrs. Theresa Idenyi, who underwent a free cataract surgery, said her life has been transformed. “Before the surgery, my eyes poured water and I could not go out in the sun. Now I see clearly even without glasses. Everything here is free,” she said.
The initiative has so far conducted 179 surgeries and distributed 1,000 eyeglasses to patients at no cost. A typical clinic day sees more than 100 people screened and treated. “In other hospitals, cataract surgery costs between ₦250,000 and ₦800,000. Here, it is free,” said consultant ophthalmologist, Dr. Emmanuel Onah.
The programme is sustained through the DUFUHS Health Endowment Fund, supported by philanthropists, organizations, and even the university staff themselves. Prof. Uneke revealed that staff voluntarily contributed ₦25 million from their salaries, while the NNPC sponsored 80 free surgeries.
Dr. Emmanuel, said the services have attracted patients from Enugu, Cross River, Benue, Delta, and Imo states. “No patient pays consultation fees, surgery costs, or drug expenses. Every service is completely free,” he emphasized.
Beyond treatment, the initiative doubles as a research and training hub, studying common eye conditions such as cataracts, glaucoma, refractive errors, and diabetic retinopathy, while offering students practical exposure to patient care.
Prof. Uneke said the university plans to replicate the model with 16 more specialized centres, including Cancer, Renal, Dental, and Neuroscience centres, with the immediate community as first beneficiaries.
With the testimonies of women like Mrs. Idenyi, the Umahi University Eye Centre is being hailed as a model of community-based healthcare and a beacon of hope for rural women battling preventable blindness.