Sogunro is located on the Makoko/Iwaya waterfront area of Lagos. A community rooted in culture with several unorthodox practices to treat the prevalent eye defects and diseases arising from their craft. Children are more adversely affected as they require good vision for successful education. Unfortunately, proper eye care is a luxury that few can afford. Drug Aid Africa has identified this gap and seeks to provide eye screenings, medication, and prescription glasses for 1500 residents.
Sogunro's smoke fishing trade and proximity to the sawmill which provides lumber to most of Lagos state, makes them susceptible to eye irritations, dry eye syndrome, conjunctivitis and more. A community rooted in culture, there are several unorthodox practices including the instillation of cow's urine into the eyes as a cure for eye defects and diseases. This exposure to heavy metals and harmful bacteria increases the incidence of eye infections, impaired vision and even total loss of sight.
Drug Aid Africa has identified this gap and seeks to provide eye screenings, medication, prescription glasses and awareness campaigns to residents of Sogunro. This will be provided throughout the month of November with qualified opthalmologists and optometrist providing screening tests, eye checks, medication and eye glasses to a target of 1,500 people in the first phase.
The people of Sogunro will have a better quality of life as children who previously could not gain from formal education due to impaired vision will be able to go back to school and adults with impaired vision will be able to work to feed their families.
