OB Nigeria held a two-day medical clinic that reached 1,780 patients and of that, 451 received free reading glasses.

SULEJA, Nigeria –One trip to the doctor was all it took to help one family overcome the disabilities holding them back each day.

For Maimuna Ahmed, Operation Blessing showed up in her small village just in time. Her two sons, Mahmood, 3, and Umar, 1, both had eye infections which could have caused them to go blind if they had not been treated quickly.

 "Every day I watched my sons scratching their eyes which were always watery," the mother said. "My husband, a bricklayer, could not afford to take them to see an eye doctor because he does not earn enough to pay the hospital bill."

OB Nigeria held a two-day medical clinic that reached 1,780 patients and of that, 451 received free reading glasses. In addition, medicine and blankets were also handed out.

The village of Suleja has a high rate of people affected by "river blindness," a disease caused by a worm that breeds in fast-flowing rivers. It is a major cause of blindness in west and central Africa.

According to the Center for Disease Control, approximately 18 million people worldwide are infected, of whom roughly 300,000 are irreversibly blind. In addition to causing loss of sight, river blindness creates nodules on the skin and severe itching and can also result in skin cancer.

The village of Suleja has a high rate of people affected by "river blindness," a disease caused by a worm that breeds in fast-flowing rivers. It is a major cause of blindness in west and central Africa.

"Thanks to Operation Blessing's volunteer eye doctors, both Mahmood and Umar were treated and received free medicines," said Okey Onwudiwe, a staff member with OB Nigeria.

 "I am so happy that today my children have seen an eye doctor," the boy's mother said. "It would not have been possible if it were not for you."

OB also donated blankets to a local hospital, which had no bedding for its in-patients.
The Secretary of the Suleja's Local Government Council commended Operation Blessing for coming to serve the constituency saying, "We look forward to working with you again in the future."

HOW YOU CAN HELP
Be a part of OBI's ongoing medical relief efforts by making an online contribution to help those suffering from extreme poverty and sickness.

 

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