World Sight Day: FG activates 1,400 PHCs for eye care
By Chidinma Chukwu, Abuja
ABUJA — The Federal Government has activated more than 1,400 primary healthcare centres, PHCs, across the country to provide primary eye care services as part of efforts to expand access to quality eye care and reduce avoidable blindness.
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja at an event to commemorate the 2026 World Sight Day.
The event, themed, “The Value of Vision: Investing in People, Productivity and Nigeria’s Future,” highlighted the need for sustained investment in eye health and stronger integration of eye care into the primary healthcare system.
Represented by the Director of E-Health Division, Mrs Doris Afam-Aneke, Salako said the integration of eye care into the primary healthcare system was central to the government’s strategy of making eye health services accessible, affordable and sustainable, particularly for Nigerians in underserved communities.
He said the government had also trained more than 3,000 healthcare workers across 16 states, equipping them with skills to provide essential eye care services at the community level.
According to him, the trained workers were helping to improve early detection of eye conditions, raise community awareness and facilitate prompt referral of patients requiring specialised treatment.
Salako said, “A major pillar of our eye health strategy has been the integration and expansion of primary eye care services across the country.
“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.”
He added that the integration of primary eye care into the PHC system had expanded the capacity of frontline health facilities to prevent, detect and manage common eye conditions, while ensuring timely referral of patients requiring specialised care.
Salako also disclosed that more than 1.5 million pairs of prescription spectacles had been distributed to Nigerians across 16 states through the Effective Spectacle Coverage Initiative, known as Jigi-Bola 2.0.
He said preparations were at an advanced stage to extend the initiative to 10 additional states, adding that the expansion would further improve access to affordable vision correction for Nigerians with uncorrected refractive errors.
The minister further disclosed that more than 1.5 million school-age children had been screened for visual problems through the school eye health programme, with those requiring treatment linked to appropriate care.
He said four additional vision centres were being established in Enugu, Edo, Sokoto and Nasarawa states to strengthen secondary eye care services, improve referral pathways and expand access to specialised treatment.
Salako reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to eliminating avoidable blindness, announcing plans to conduct 25,000 free cataract surgeries across the country by the end of 2027.
He said improved vision would enhance learning, productivity and the quality of life of Nigerians.
The minister also said Nigeria would co-host the first Global Summit on Eye Health scheduled for November 2 in Antigua and Barbuda, describing it as an opportunity for the country to contribute to global efforts to integrate eye health into universal health coverage.
He said the National Eye Care Commitment was anchored on integrating primary eye care into PHCs, expanding the provision of ready-made spectacles through Jigi-Bola 2.0, improving effective cataract surgical coverage, strengthening the eye health workforce and removing barriers to eye care.
Over 80% of visual impairment avoidable
The National Coordinator, 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, making the integration of primary eye care into the primary healthcare system a strategic priority.
Eme said 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 specific training in primary eye care.
She added that state-level trainers and facilitators had also been trained to support the expansion of primary eye care services.
The coordinator said the government was developing protocols for newborn eye screening to facilitate early detection and treatment of conditions that could lead to 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.
“We are also tackling national priority eye conditions by developing standardised guidelines.
“Nigeria will co-host the upcoming first-ever Global Summit on Eye Health in Antigua and Barbuda on November 2. This provides an opportunity to examine the current state of eye health and make the case for accelerated action.”
Eme called on governments, development partners, the private sector, health workers, teachers, the media and Nigerians to support efforts to improve eye health.
She urged governments to provide dedicated budgetary allocations for eye health and encouraged Nigerians to undergo regular eye examinations and take steps to protect their sight.
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 added that supporting persons with visual impairment and ensuring accessible eye care services could significantly enhance participation in education, employment and community life.
The Chief Medical Director, National Eye Centre, Kaduna, Dr Amina Hassan Wali, called for stronger partnerships, greater public awareness, early presentation for eye problems, regular eye examinations and sustained investment in eye health.
“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 high point of the event was the unveiling of the National Eye Health Commitments in alignment with the upcoming Global Summit on Eye Health.
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