The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to tackling avoidable blindness and improving access to quality eye care services across Nigeria through the integration of Primary Eye Care (PEC) into the nation’s Primary Health Care (PHC) system.
Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, made this known in Abuja on Thursday, during the commemoration of the 2025 World Sight Day, themed “Love Your Eyes.”
Represented by Dr. Jimoh Olawale Salaudeen, Director of Hospital Services in the Ministry, Dr. Salako said the initiative aimed to make eye care accessible to millions of Nigerians, particularly those in underserved and rural areas.
He stressed that vision played a critical role in national development, adding that eye health is now part of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) following Nigeria’s adoption of the “Vision for Everyone” resolution at the UN General Assembly.
“Evidence has shown that individuals with impaired vision experience reduced productivity. Avoiding blindness is key to achieving SDG 1 No Poverty because vision loss costs the globe an estimated $411 billion annually,” Salako stated.
The minister noted that Nigeria’s National Eye Health Policy (2019) and the National Eye Health Strategic Development Plan (2023–2027) provide the framework for scaling up eye care delivery toward universal coverage.
To achieve this, he said 12 master trainers have been trained across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones to further build state-level capacity on integrating PEC into PHC. Data collection and reporting tools for PHC facilities have also been developed to strengthen monitoring and evaluation.
Dr. Salako explained that the integration would empower primary health workers to manage simple eye conditions and refer complex cases, thereby reducing avoidable blindness and promoting early detection.
He also announced the rollout of the Effective Spectacle Coverage Initiative Nigeria (ESCIN), also known as JigiBola 2.0, targeting the distribution of five million free reading glasses across 15 states within three years to tackle uncorrected refractive errors, especially presbyopia among older adults.
“By prioritizing eye health today, we are investing in a brighter, more prosperous tomorrow for Nigeria,” he added.
In her remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Daju Kachollom, represented by Dr. Oteri Okolo Eme, National Coordinator of the National Eye, Ear and Sensory Functions Health Programme (NESHP), urged Nigerians to prioritize regular eye check-ups for early detection and treatment.
She emphasized that eye health is not merely a medical concern but an essential part of achieving universal health coverage and driving national development.
Dr. Eme, who also delivered a presentation titled “Celebrating the Impact of Partnerships in Putting Patients at the Heart of Eye Health,” highlighted Nigeria’s steady progress in eye health advancement despite limited resources and data gaps.
According to her, the country now has policy documents and governance structures for eye health in 35 states and the FCT, with plan to achieve full national coverage by 2026.
She listed notable achievements, including:
Training of about 2,200 PHC workers in 15 states to deliver primary eye care;
Dispensing of 1.2 million free reading glasses under JigiBola 2.0, with 66% of beneficiaries receiving their first pair;
3,000 free cataract surgeries for Nigerians in riverine communities; and
Ongoing supportive supervision in 10 states for implementation improvement.
Dr. Eme acknowledged ongoing challenges such as limited funding, data gaps, and policy inconsistencies but expressed optimism that stronger partnerships would help Nigeria reach a stage where “no one is needlessly blind.”
She also cited collaborations with global partners, including the Livelihood Impact Fund, International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB), Ariadne Labs at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, which have enhanced knowledge sharing and innovation in Nigeria’s eye health sector.
