In the commemoration of the World Glaucoma Week 2025, the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital (UDUTH), collaborated with the Sokoto State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), on Friday, to screen 167 journalists.
The team lead, Dr. Mustapha Bature, also a Consultant Opthalmologist and Head of the Department of Opthalmology at the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital (UDUTH), during the health talk, stressed the importance of the collaboration with the NUJ and expressed his pleasure at providing free eye screenings for journalists, while describing glaucoma as a leading cause of irreversible blindness.
“Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of irreversible blindness and vision lost to glaucoma cannot be regained. Because of this, we believe it is crucial to enlighten the public about the need for early eye check-ups to preserve their vision and maintain their quality of life.
In acknowledging this, we have decided to collaborate with journalists in the state considering how important their role of information dissemination, especially as it regards the health of public is.
By partnering and engaging the media, we are indirectly reaching the entire community with our message,” Dr Bature said.
Dr. Ibrahim Bukale, also of the Department of Opthalmology, explained the symptoms of glaucoma and how it affects people.
According to him, glaucoma can lead to permanent vision loss, which calls for an early diagnosis and treatment to help prevent further degeneration.
“Glaucoma damages the optic nerve, which sends images from the eyes to the brain. The condition worsens over time and is often linked to a buildup of pressure in the eye. It typically affects older adults from age 40 and above but it can also run in families and appear later in life,” Dr Bukale said.
Earlier, in his opening remark, the Chairman of the Sokoto Council of NUJ, Muhammad Binji, said:
The main goal of the outreach is to build a strong collaboration between UDUTH and the journalists, so that both sides can benefit.
A total of 167 journalists were screened with some given medical glasses and eyedrops, free of charge.
