FIGHT AGAINST QUACKERY: IMO NOA CHAPTER UNITES WITH STATE HEALTH MINISTRY

The Imo State Ministry of Health in conjunction with Nigerian Optometric Association, Imo State chapter has perfected plans to ensure that only qualified professionals are allowed in the practice of eye care delivery in the state.

The revelation was made when members of NOA, Imo State chapter, paid a visit to the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. John Ihebereme and other officials at the state secretariat, Owerri recently.

Chairman of the Association in Imo State, Dr.Martin Ohiri, said that the purpose of their visit to the ministry was to interact with the officials on ways of advancing professionalism in eye care delivery in the state and also stepping up the fight against the ugly menace of quackery in the profession.

The chairman described as alarming, the increasing rate of blindness and other visual impediments among the populace, which he attributed to activities of quacks who are being patronized by un-informed eye patients in the markets along the roads and other unapproved places for eye care delivery.

Dr. Ohiri, revealed that the association had spent millions of naira in carrying out awareness campaigns and outreaches in order to educate the public against the dangers of patronizing unqualified persons who parade themselves as eye care providers.

"Can you imagine that even some practitioners in othe

r medical fields without proper knowledge of vision related matters often prescribe wrong medications to eye patients instead of referring them to experts, the optometrists who are primary eye care providers."

Earlier in his address to the association, the permanent secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr Jonny Ihebereme, frowned at the level of involvement of quacks in the eye care profession which he said can no longer be tolerated because of its ravaging effects on the members of the public.