In Abuja, the Federal Government announced that it has activated more than 1,400 primary healthcare centres (PHCs) across Nigeria to deliver primary eye care services as part of its World Sight Day 2026 campaign.
Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako revealed the move at a ceremony themed “The Value of Vision: Investing in People, Productivity and Nigeria’s Future.” He said the integration of eye care into the PHC system is central to the government’s strategy of making services accessible, affordable and sustainable, especially for people in underserved communities.
Alongside the PHC rollout, the ministry has trained over 3,000 healthcare workers in 16 states and more than 4,000 primary health workers nationwide. These workers are now equipped to detect eye conditions early, raise community awareness and refer patients for specialised care. The government has also distributed more than 1.5 million pairs of prescription spectacles through the Jigi‑Bola 2.0 initiative and plans to extend the programme to ten additional states.
In schools, more than 1.5 million children have been screened for visual problems, with those needing treatment linked to appropriate care. Four new vision centres are being established in Enugu, Edo, Sokoto and Nasarawa to strengthen secondary eye services and improve referral pathways.
Salako announced a target of 25,000 free cataract surgeries nationwide by the end of 2027 and confirmed that Nigeria will co‑host the first Global Summit on Eye Health on 2 November in Antigua and Barbuda, a platform to advance universal eye‑health coverage.
National Eye, Ear and Sensory Functions Health Programme coordinator Dr Oteri Okolo Eme noted that more than 80 percent of visual impairment in Nigeria is avoidable. He highlighted the creation of a network of national master trainers, the training of 2,200 specialists in primary eye care, and the development of newborn eye‑screening protocols to detect and treat conditions early.
Chief Ayuba Gufwan, Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, added that investing in eye health is an investment in people, improving participation in education and other aspects of life. He urged governments, partners and the public to support eye‑health initiatives and to encourage regular eye examinations.
<small>Source: Vanguard News — read the original story there.</small>
