Young Medical Aspirants Restore Hope as MediServe Delivers Free Eye Care, Medicated Glasses to Lagos Residents
…Elderly citizens, commercial drivers and other beneficiaries regain clearer vision through life-changing outreach
Two young aspiring medical professionals, Joy Ogunsan and Soleeha Musa-Etiko, are making a remarkable impact in Nigeria’s healthcare space by expanding access to quality eye care through their female-led initiative, MediServe, providing free eye screenings and specially prescribed medicated glasses to underserved residents in Lagos.
The latest outreach, held at MeCure HealthCare Limited in Oshodi, brought hope to commercial drivers, elderly citizens, traders and teenagers who often lack access to affordable eye care services. The programme culminated in the distribution of free prescription glasses to beneficiaries following comprehensive eye examinations conducted by professional eye care specialists.
About 60 residents participated in the free eye screening exercise, with 14 individuals diagnosed with urgent vision challenges receiving customised medicated glasses tailored to their specific eye conditions.
Speaking during the outreach, Soleeha Musa-Etiko, Founder of MediServe, said the initiative was inspired by the growing number of Nigerians living with untreated eye conditions due to financial constraints and limited access to healthcare.
“We realised that many Nigerians silently battle eye problems without seeking medical attention until their condition becomes severe. The testimonies from beneficiaries have been heartwarming. Some can now see clearly again, while others have experienced relief from persistent eye irritation. That transformation is our greatest reward,” she said.
She explained that Oshodi was deliberately chosen for the intervention because of its large population of commercial drivers, commuters, traders and elderly residents who are particularly vulnerable to vision-related challenges.
Her co-founder, Joy Ogunsan, noted that although MediServe has broader healthcare ambitions, eye health became its first major intervention after observing the alarming prevalence of preventable visual impairment among Nigerians.
“We have seen many elderly people struggling with poor vision and cases of glaucoma and other eye diseases that often remain undetected until they become severe. We simply wanted to contribute our quota by making quality eye care accessible to those who may not be able to afford it,” she stated.
Despite still preparing for university education, the duo successfully combined academic pursuits with fundraising, partnership development and community mobilisation to execute the outreach. They acknowledged that support from family members, friends, sponsors and healthcare partners played a crucial role in bringing the project to reality.
The initiative received strong backing from MeCure Eye Centre, whose Chief Optometrist, Dr. Comfort Ikedieze Isaac, explained that unlike many community eye programmes that distribute ready-made glasses, every beneficiary received individually prescribed lenses after detailed clinical evaluations.
“The glasses were specially produced to address each patient’s specific visual needs, both for distance and near vision. Proper diagnosis remains essential because serious eye diseases such as glaucoma often progress silently before symptoms appear,” she said, urging Nigerians to embrace regular eye examinations for early detection and treatment.
Beneficiaries described the intervention as life-changing.
Mr. Kelechi Okwuosa, who received prescription glasses for the first time, said he can now read comfortably after years of struggling with blurred vision.
“I used to have difficulty reading, even on my phone. Now everything is much clearer,” he said.
Another beneficiary, Mrs. Olarenwaju Funmilayo, expressed gratitude for the intervention, saying the glasses had restored her ability to see clearly after years of blurry vision.
A 14-year-old beneficiary, Muiz Balogun, also reported significant relief from persistent eye irritation after receiving his prescription glasses.
Beyond restoring sight, the outreach underscored the power of compassion-driven healthcare, proving that meaningful change can begin with determined young people committed to serving their communities.
Looking ahead, Joy Ogunsan and Soleeha Musa-Etiko revealed plans to transform MediServe into a fully established non-profit healthcare organisation, expand medical outreach programmes across underserved communities in Nigeria, build a robust volunteer network and eventually establish a hospital dedicated to delivering accessible and equitable healthcare.
Dignitaries at the event included the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Executive Hotel and Suites, Dr. Ajoke Ogunsan, Consultant Ophthalmologist at MeCure, Dr. Sunday Alabi, Nurse Manager, Mrs. Gloria Odok, and other healthcare professionals and stakeholders.