Journalists in Plateau State are set to benefit from free eye screening, medicated glasses and professional eye care services following a new partnership between the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Plateau State Council, and the Christian Health Association of Nigeria (CHAN).
The Country Director and Secretary-General of CHAN, Dr Suleiman Mshelia, disclosed this on Tuesday in Jos when the executive members of the NUJ Plateau Council paid a working visit to the organisation.
Mshelia said the initiative forms part of CHAN’s commitment to promoting the health and well-being of journalists, whose work often places significant demands on their eyesight.
According to him, participants will receive comprehensive eye examinations, eye care counselling, medicated glasses where necessary and referrals for further treatment in cases requiring specialist attention.
He described the collaboration with the NUJ as strategic, noting that beyond increasing public awareness of CHAN’s programmes, it would also help promote positive behavioural change on health-related issues.
“Working with the media will not only make our interventions more visible but will also support public health advocacy through effective dissemination of information,” he said.
Mshelia explained that CHAN also advocates increased funding from government and faith-based institutions to support faith-based hospitals, many of which rely heavily on internally generated revenue to sustain their operations.
He added that the organisation implements several community-based health programmes, including immunisation campaigns, ophthalmology services, maternal and newborn healthcare projects and other interventions aimed at improving healthcare delivery at the grassroots.
Earlier, the Chairperson of the NUJ Plateau State Council, Mrs Ayuku Pwaspo, congratulated Mshelia on his appointment and commended CHAN for its outstanding contributions to healthcare delivery, particularly among underserved and vulnerable communities.
She appealed to the organisation to extend more of its healthcare interventions to journalists, stressing that media professionals also require quality healthcare to remain productive.
Pwaspo also called for a stronger partnership between the NUJ and CHAN to enhance public awareness of the organisation’s activities and broaden the impact of its programmes through effective media coverage.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that CHAN is a faith-based, non-profit umbrella organisation that coordinates Christian health facilities across Nigeria.
Source:NAN
