RismadarVoice Reporters
October 9, 2026
The Federal Government has activated more than 1,400 primary healthcare centres across Nigeria to provide essential eye care services, as part of measures to improve access to treatment and reduce avoidable blindness.
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, disclosed this on Thursday during the 2026 World Sight Day commemoration in Abuja.
The event, themed “The Value of Vision: Investing in People, Productivity and Nigeria’s Future,” focused on strengthening eye healthcare delivery and integrating vision services into Nigeria’s primary healthcare system.
Represented by the Director of the E-Health Division, Doris Afam-Aneke, Salako said the initiative was intended to bring affordable eye care closer to Nigerians, particularly residents of underserved communities.
He disclosed that more than 3,000 healthcare workers across 16 states had received training in essential eye care, including early identification of eye conditions and referral of patients requiring specialised treatment.
The minister also announced that the Federal Government had distributed over 1.5 million pairs of prescription spectacles across 16 states under the Effective Spectacle Coverage Initiative, popularly known as Jigi-Bola 2.0.
According to him, preparations are underway to extend the programme to 10 additional states to improve access to affordable vision correction.
Salako further revealed that more than 1.5 million schoolchildren had undergone vision screening through the national school eye health programme, with those requiring additional medical attention referred to appropriate healthcare facilities.
As part of efforts to expand specialised services, the government plans to establish four additional vision centres in Enugu, Edo, Sokoto and Nasarawa states.
He also announced a target of 25,000 free cataract surgeries nationwide by the end of 2027, describing the intervention as an important component of the government’s efforts to address preventable blindness.
The minister disclosed that Nigeria would co-host the first Global Summit on Eye Health in Antigua and Barbuda on November 2, 2026.
He said the summit would provide an opportunity for countries and development partners to strengthen international cooperation and promote the inclusion of eye care in universal health coverage.
Speaking at the event, 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 cases in Nigeria were avoidable.
She stressed that expanding access to primary eye care would improve early diagnosis, treatment and referral services.
Eme disclosed that the government had established a network of master trainers across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
According to her, approximately 4,000 primary healthcare workers had received training, while more than 2,200 others had undergone specialised training in primary eye care.
She added that the Federal Government was developing newborn eye screening protocols to facilitate early detection and treatment of conditions that could lead to visual impairment.
The coordinator urged state governments to allocate dedicated funding to eye healthcare services while encouraging Nigerians to undergo regular eye examinations.
She also called for stronger cooperation among government institutions, development partners, private organisations, healthcare professionals, educational institutions and the media.
The Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, Chief Ayuba Gufwan, said improved investment in eye health could strengthen access to education, employment and social participation for people with visual impairments.
Similarly, the Chief Medical Director of the National Eye Centre, Kaduna, Dr Amina Hassan Wali, emphasised the importance of public awareness, early diagnosis, sustained investment and stronger partnerships in improving eye healthcare delivery.
The event concluded with the unveiling of the National Eye Health Commitments, outlining priorities for improving access to eye care and supporting Nigeria’s participation in the forthcoming Global Summit on Eye Health.
