World Sight Day: FG Activates 1,400 PHCs for Eye Care

BY FRONTLINE REPORTERS

The Federal Government has activated more than 1,400 primary healthcare centres (PHCs) nationwide to provide primary eye care services as part of efforts to expand access to quality eye health services and reduce avoidable blindness.

The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja during an event to commemorate the 2026 World Sight Day.

The event, themed “The Value of Vision: Investing in People, Productivity and Nigeria’s Future,” underscored the need for sustained investment in eye health and the integration of eye care into the primary healthcare system.

Represented by the Director of the E-Health Division, Mrs Doris Afam-Aneke, Salako said integrating eye care into primary healthcare remained central to the government’s strategy to make eye health services accessible, affordable and sustainable, particularly for Nigerians in underserved communities.

He disclosed that the government had also trained more than 3,000 healthcare workers across 16 states to provide essential eye care services at the community level.

According to him, the trained personnel were helping to improve the early detection of eye conditions, raise public awareness and ensure timely referrals for patients requiring specialised treatment.

“A major pillar of our eye health strategy has been the integration and expansion of primary eye care services across the country,” he said.

“The evidence is clear. Sustainable progress in eye health can only be achieved when services are available at the point closest to the people. This is why government has prioritised the strengthening of primary healthcare systems as the foundation for delivering essential eye care interventions.”

Salako said integrating primary eye care into the PHC system had strengthened the capacity of frontline health facilities to prevent, detect and manage common eye conditions while ensuring that patients requiring specialised treatment were referred promptly.

He further disclosed that more than 1.5 million pairs of prescription spectacles had been distributed to Nigerians across 16 states under the Effective Spectacle Coverage Initiative, also known as Jigi-Bola 2.0.

According to the minister, preparations were at an advanced stage to extend the initiative to 10 additional states to improve access to affordable vision correction for Nigerians with uncorrected refractive errors.

He added that more than 1.5 million school-age children had been screened for visual problems under the school eye health programme, with those requiring treatment referred to appropriate healthcare facilities.

To strengthen secondary eye care services, Salako said four additional vision centres were being established in Enugu, Edo, Sokoto and Nasarawa states to improve referral pathways and expand access to specialised treatment.

The minister reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to eliminating avoidable blindness, announcing plans to conduct 25,000 free cataract surgeries nationwide by the end of 2027.

He said improved vision would enhance educational outcomes, boost productivity and improve Nigerians’ overall quality of life.

Salako also announced that Nigeria would co-host the first Global Summit on Eye Health, scheduled for November 2 in Antigua and Barbuda, describing the event as an opportunity for the country to contribute to global efforts to integrate eye health into universal health coverage.

He said Nigeria’s National Eye Care Commitments focused on integrating primary eye care into PHCs, expanding access to ready-made spectacles through Jigi-Bola 2.0, improving effective cataract surgical coverage, strengthening the eye health workforce and eliminating barriers to eye care.

Over 80% of visual impairment avoidable — Coordinator

The National Coordinator of the National Eye, Ear and Sensory Functions Health Programme, Dr Oteri Okolo Eme, said more than 80 per cent of visual impairment in Nigeria was avoidable, describing the integration of primary eye care into the healthcare system as a strategic priority.

Eme disclosed that the government had established a network of national master trainers across the six geopolitical zones and trained about 4,000 primary healthcare workers, while more than 2,200 others had received specialised training in primary eye care.

She added that state-level trainers and facilitators had also been trained to support the expansion of eye care services nationwide.

The coordinator said the government was developing protocols for newborn eye screening to facilitate the early detection and treatment of conditions that could cause visual impairment.

“We are protecting our children and future generations. We are in the process of developing protocols for newborn screening because we believe that if we detect causes of visual impairment early, we will be able to address them and ensure better outcomes,” she said.

Eme added that the government was also developing standardised guidelines to address priority eye health conditions.

She reiterated that Nigeria’s participation in the forthcoming Global Summit on Eye Health would provide an opportunity to assess the state of eye health and advocate accelerated action.

The coordinator called on governments, development partners, the private sector, healthcare workers, teachers, the media and the public to support efforts to improve eye health outcomes.

She urged governments to make dedicated budgetary provisions for eye health and encouraged Nigerians to undergo regular eye examinations and adopt practices that protect their vision.

Stakeholders seek greater investment in eye health

Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, Chief Ayuba Gufwan, said investment in eye health was an investment in people.

He noted that supporting persons with visual impairment and ensuring access to inclusive eye care services could significantly improve their participation in education, employment and community life.

Similarly, the Chief Medical Director of the National Eye Centre, Kaduna, Dr Amina Hassan Wali, called for stronger partnerships, increased public awareness, early presentation for eye problems, regular eye examinations and sustained investment in eye health services.

“Let us work together to ensure that no one is left behind and that everyone can enjoy the gift of sight. Let us all love our eyes and make eye health a priority,” she said.

The event culminated in the unveiling of Nigeria’s National Eye Health Commitments, aligned with preparations for the forthcoming Global Summit on Eye Health.