By Richard Akintade, Osogbo
The Executive Secretary of Osun Health Insurance Agency, OSHIA, Dr. Rasaq Akindele, yesterday confirmed the readiness of the agency to embark on eye checkups for students in public primary and secondary schools.
Dr Akindele who made this confirmation while fielding questions from journalists during a press conference held at the Conference room of the agency, informed that no fewer than 345,000 pupils and students in the public school will benefit from the “Imole School Health” programme.
According to the OSHIA’s Executive Secretary, “The concept of Imole School Health is born out of the fact that not all students who are not performing optimally academically are really intellectually poor.
“Many of these students and their parents don’t realise that visual challenges are the basis of poor academic outcome. Quite a good number of them have challenges with their visions which make them not to be able to see what the teacher writes on the board or even demonstrates in front of the class.
“A lot of them strain and squeeze their eyes, but yet they would not be able to see well, the result of which is poor academic performance.
“From this background. Governor Ademola Adeleke of the state has directed us at Osun Health Insurance Agency to carry out comprehensive eye checkup of all students in the State Public Primary and Secondary Schools as he is so compassionate about the health of all the good people of Osun State and will not leave any stone unturned to achieve good health for our people.
“This will be done in collaboration with the state Ministry of Education. There are Three Hundred and Forty-five thousand Pupils and students in these schools and all of them will be screened and examined; those with refractive errors will be provided with corrective spectacles, those that needs drugs will be given and those whose conditions necessitate surgical interventions will be accorded the opportunity. Our children must see well, Imole must prevail in Osun State.
The training of the school teachers who will carry out the screening will commence on Thursday 20th February, 2025.
“We want to implore the parents and guidance to please avail their children and wards this rare opportunity of the Imole School Eye Health”, he added.
