Over 400 Visually Impaired Persons Benefit From Cross River First Lady, FCMB Intervention Programme

First City Monument Bank (FCMB) and India\’s Tulsi Chanrai Foundation

No fewer than four hundred Visually Impaired Persons have benefitted from the specialized medical intervention programme of the wife of the Governor of Cross River State, Reverend Eyoanwan Bassey Otu In Calabar.

The intervention, which is in partnership with the First City Monument Bank (FCMB) and India\’s Tulsi Chanrai Foundation provided free eye screenings, surgeries, and medications to individuals suffering from visual impairments, including cataracts.

Speaking at the programme tagged; \’Priceless Gift of Sight\’ , Wife of the Governor, represented by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Gender Mainstreaming, Dr Inyang Asibong, said the medical intervention was organised to address avoidable blindness in Cross River State.

Reverend Otu emphasized that the initiative will reduce the prevalence of blindness and make an impact on the lives of those in need, especially the vulnerable.

According to her, the effort to restore vision, hope and self independence, reducing reliance on caregivers and fostering self-sufficiency is a collective one.

Testimonies at the event included free eye surgery that was carried out on an 80 years old man who had been living with blindness for 57 years and regained his sight, a confirmation of the efficacy of the programme.

Otu used the opportunity to highlight the impact of such interventions on the community and expressed her heartfelt gratitude to development partners and stakeholders who have consistently provided support, ensuring the successful implementation of the programme across various past administrations.

She noted that the Cross River State Government remains committed to providing essential infrastructure and a supportive environment for partners to thrive. She highlighted the role of such collaboration in restoring vision to those with eye defects and reaffirmed the \’People\’s First\’ government\’s dedication to sufferers.

\”We extend our heartfelt gratitude to FCMB and the Tulsi Chanrai Foundation for this outstanding initiative. Your support has made a significant impact, and we wouldn\’t be here today without you,\” Mrs. Otu acknowledged.

Also speaking at the event, the Zonal Head of First City Monument Bank (FCMB) in charge of Cross River and Akwa Ibom states, Mr. Charles Emefiele stated that the initiative was a key aspect of the bank\’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) efforts, focused on restoring vision to individuals with visual impairments.

The event was attended by several dignitaries, including the State Commissioner for Local Government Affairs, represented, the Head of Corporate Social Responsibility and Accountability of FCMB Mr. Omoniyi Iyanda, senior members of the Tulsi Chanrai Foundation – Dr. Shailendra Gahilod and Richard Sylvester, Special Assistant to the governor on Women Mobilization, Mrs Grace Egwu, Leaders of traditional institutions, amongst others.

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