Laraba MUREY
Nigeria has called for increased international support in eye health, saying preventing blindness and visual impairment is both a moral duty and an economic priority.
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Salako, made the call on Wednesday at a high-level event titled “The Value of Vision: The Case for Investment,” held on the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly in New York.
The minister noted that, millions worldwide, including Nigerians, suffer from preventable blindness, which lowers quality of life and slows economic growth.
The Head of Information & Public Relations, at the ministry, Alaba Balogun, in a statement on Friday said further quoted the minister saying that, “Investment in comprehensive eye health yields significant returns. Studies show that every dollar spent on global eye care generates between $28 and $36 in socio-economic benefits,” he said.
The minister highlighted Nigeria’s efforts to reduce avoidable blindness, including the National Eye Health Programme, which has set up dedicated eye health desks across the country, and the National Eye Health Policy and Strategic Development Plan (2024–2028).
A flagship project, the Effective Spectacle Coverage Initiative (ESCIN–Jigi Bola 2.0), has screened nearly 1.5 million Nigerians and provided more than 1 million free reading glasses. About 66 percent of the beneficiaries received their first-ever pair.
Dr. Salako added, “When we invest in vision health, we not only prevent blindness and enhance human dignity, but also create a pathway to detect broader health problems that burden society.”
The initiative has also trained over 2,200 primary health care workers to deliver eye care services, ensuring integration into Nigeria’s primary healthcare system.
Dr. Salako thanked the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness and other development partners for supporting Nigeria’s efforts and pledged continued collaboration to make eye care accessible and affordable for all.
