The Department of Ophthalmology at the Enugu State University of Science and Technology Teaching Hospital (ESUTTH) has received a major boost in training and service delivery capacity following the donation of advanced ophthalmic equipment by Dr. Chima Emmanuel Edoga, a Consultant Ophthalmologist at the hospital, and his wife, Dr. Chioma Edoga, through their Clear Vision Care Foundation.
The donated items include a 5-step LED slit lamp biomicroscope, manufactured in India, as well as a wet lab microscope personally assembled by Dr. Edoga, both aimed at strengthening postgraduate ophthalmic training and patient care at the teaching hospital.
Speaking shortly after the donation on Wednesday, February 4, Dr. Edoga explained that the LED slit lamp was selected for its durability and efficiency.
“This is an LED slit lamp, designed to last for a long time and reduce the need for frequent bulb replacements. It also comes with an instrument table that is hydraulic rather than belt-driven, which is the required standard type that we, as personnel, do not usually start with. This setup is intended for cleaning and related procedures,” he said.
He also highlighted the significance of the wet lab microscope, which he assembled himself.
“In the wet lab, I have also installed a wet lab microscope, which I assembled myself. In fact, it is expected to become one of the cheapest wet lab microscopes available in India. I believe that this, too, will add significant value to our training facilities,” Dr. Edoga noted.
According to him, the donation was motivated by gratitude and a desire to strengthen the health system.
“This gesture is a way of giving back to the institution that trained me to become an ophthalmologist, and to support the efforts of the hospital management and the state government in providing equipment for postgraduate ophthalmic training,” he said.
Dr. Edoga expressed optimism that the new equipment would improve both training outcomes and patient care.
“The expectation is that this will help produce efficient and capable ophthalmologists who excel in identifying disease processes of the eye, so they can effectively treat them. It will also help improve the surgical skills of these ophthalmologists in providing ophthalmic surgeries for patients who visit the teaching hospital,” he explained.
He added that the gesture was also intended to inspire others within the system.
“It is also meant to encourage others that if you have the capacity to assist, it shouldn’t always be about taking, taking, taking. Some of us have the capacity to give and to make the system better,” he said.
Dr. Edoga further disclosed that the donated equipment was built to be rugged, assuring that any repairs required within the next two years would be handled by the foundation.
Reacting to the donation, the Chief Medical Director of ESUT Teaching Hospital, Prof. Bethrand Ngwu, on behalf of the hospital’s management, expressed deep appreciation to Dr. Edoga and the Clear Vision Care Foundation.
The management, he said, “sincerely appreciates Dr. Edoga and the Clear Vision Care Foundation for this act of generosity and leadership,” while also encouraging other well-meaning individuals to emulate the gesture in supporting the growth and effectiveness of Nigeria’s health system.
The equipment was formally received on behalf of the hospital by the Head of the Department of Ophthalmology, Dr. Mrs. I. N. Asimadu, who thanked Dr. Edoga and his foundation for the donation.
“Thank you very much—thank you to the foundation. We are pleased that the equipment comes with a two-year warranty, which gives us confidence that it will perform as expected,” she said.
Dr. Asimadu added that the donation opens new possibilities for innovation and training.
“Going forward, we now have the opportunity to develop more equipment that can reach export standards. This will also give our residents the time and resources to train properly. As you noted, it is even possible to achieve an IT-compliant role,” she added.
The donation is expected to significantly enhance ophthalmic training, research, and service delivery at ESUT Teaching Hospital.
