Nigerians have been advised to desist from using breast milk and urine as remedies to treat eye defects, as such practices could cause serious damage to the eyes.
This advice was handed down by an ophthalmologist, Zainab Akinbode, in Akure, the Ondo State capital, during a two-day free medical outreach organised by the Philips Diagnostic Centre.
Speaking during the free healthcare services, which included malaria testing, blood pressure checks, free glasses, and eye drops, Akinbode said the resort to using traditional eye medication has led to many people becoming permanently blind.
She said, “As an ophthalmologist, we see a lot of patients using traditional eye medication on their eyes with things like nursing mothers putting breast milk on their children’s eyes, people putting urine, onions, leaves, sugar water, and all sorts of things.
“These things have caused a lot of defects in their eyes. Some people have even gone blind because of this. The best thing to do is to educate them against such harmful practices.”
The facility manager, Emmanuel Awopetu, said the initiative was to address the healthcare needs of the people due to the rising cost of medical care and to raise awareness of the importance of regular health checkups.
Awopetu said it was part of the firm’s corporate social responsibility to the people and said, “It is also our own way of corporate social responsibility. Making people happy in our own little way is something we consider too important.
“Hundreds of people will be benefiting from the program. It is also our Founder’s Day. The cost expended on the initiative is in the millions.
“We urge people that when they have an ailment, it is important to visit diagnostic centres because it comes first before any other medical procedures.
“It is after the proper investigations have been done that you will know who to see.”
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