Health
FG to offer 25,000 free cataract surgeries nationwide by 2027
The federal government says it will provide 25,000 free cataract surgeries nationwide by the end of 2027 as part of efforts to reduce avoidable blindness and improve access to quality eye care.
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziaq Salako, announced this on Thursday at the 49th Annual Scientific Conference of the Nigerian Optometric Association (NOA) and the African Council of Optometry (AFCO) meeting in Abuja.
Mr Salako said the surgeries would be carried out under the Renewed Hope Health Connect initiative, which aims to bring healthcare services closer to underserved communities across the country.
He said funding for the programme had already been provided in the 2025 and 2026 federal budgets, with implementation expected to begin in late October or early November this year.
“The process is already ongoing and, all things being equal, we hope to start the implementation by late October or early November this year,” he said.
Expanding primary eye care services
The minister said eye health had remained neglected for years, despite preventable visual impairment continuing to deprive millions of Nigerians of productivity, independence, economic opportunities and personal dignity.
He said President Bola Tinubu had placed deliberate emphasis on expanding primary eye care services and tackling preventable blindness through sustained investments, reforms and strengthened healthcare delivery systems.
According to him, the National Eye Health Strategic Development Plan 2024–2028 integrates eye care services across primary, secondary, and tertiary healthcare levels to improve early detection nationwide.
Mr Salako said the federal government had also inaugurated the Nigeria Glaucoma Guidelines and Toolkit to standardise diagnosis, treatment and referral protocols for glaucoma management across healthcare facilities nationwide.
He said ophthalmologists from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory had already been trained on the guidelines to facilitate effective implementation and improve patient outcomes nationwide.
He added that under the Effective Spectacle Coverage Initiative Nigeria-JigiBola 2.0, more than 2,220 primary healthcare workers across 16 states had been trained to conduct vision screening.
He said the JigiBola 2.0 initiative had screened almost two million Nigerians and provided more than 1.3 million people with free reading glasses across participating states nationwide.
According to him, approximately 66 per cent of beneficiaries received their first-ever pair of spectacles through the intervention, highlighting the significant unmet need for eye care services.
“The Jigi-Bola 2.0 is now being expanded under the Renewed Hope Health Connect to deliver at least five million free pairs of spectacles and 25,000 free cataract surgeries by the end of 2027,” he said.
Optometrists
Mr Salako described optometrists as on the front line of community eye health, emphasising that their expertise remained critical to achieving universal eye health coverage and reducing preventable blindness nationwide.
Earlier, President of the Nigerian Optometric Association, Chimeziri Anderson, said the conference was conceived to harmonise and standardise optometry education, training and practice across African countries.
Mr Anderson said the gathering would strengthen collaboration among African nations, promote the dissemination of research, and bridge differences in professional training, competencies, and regulatory frameworks across the continent.
He added that the association had partnered with organisations to facilitate free cataract surgeries, recording about 60 successful procedures during a recent outreach programme for vulnerable patients.
Also speaking, President of AFCO, Remi Ninkpe, called for a harmonised framework to guide optometry education, training and professional practice across Africa.
Mr Ninkpe said Africa had made remarkable progress in expanding optometry training, clinical services and professional recognition through collective efforts by governments, institutions and professional associations.
He, however, said that differences in curriculum, competencies and scope of practice continued to limit workforce mobility, professional integration and regional advancement across the continent.
“A harmonised, structured framework will deliver clarity of practice, workforce mobility, shared tools and one united voice for policy and advocacy,” he said.
READ ALSO: NNPC Foundation begins free cataract surgeries for 1,000 beneficiaries in Zaria
In his welcome address, the Chairman of the NOA Federal Capital Territory Chapter, Njezi Kennedy, described the conference as a landmark gathering to advance eye care across Africa.
Mr Kennedy commended the association’s leadership for strengthening professional advocacy, expanding global engagement, and successfully bringing the continental conference to Nigeria to foster wider collaboration and knowledge exchange.
He urged participants to maximise the scientific sessions, deepen professional collaboration and renew their commitment to eliminating avoidable blindness while improving eye health outcomes across Africa.
The conference, themed “Optometrists in a Changing Africa: From Diversity to Unity,” brought together eye care professionals, researchers and policymakers to discuss strategies for improving eye health services across the continent.
(NAN)
Discover more from Premium Times Nigeria
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) says drug-resistant bacterial infections kill about one million people globally every year, calling for coordinated action across human, animal, food and environmental sectors to curb the growing threat.
Jean-Pierre Nyemazi, Acting Director of the AMR Department at WHO Headquarters, said this at a virtual media conference marking an exhibition at the European Parliament on AMR and its human impact.
The virtual conference preceded the exhibition, “AMR: The Human Stories Behind a Silent Pandemic,” being held at the European Parliament from 28 September to 2 October and featuring stories of people affected by AMR across Europe.
“AMR is taking many lives. One million people die every year due to drug-resistant bacteria alone – that is, two people every minute die of bacterial AMR,” Mr Nyemazi said.
He said the scale of deaths meant that AMR should no longer be treated as a “silent pandemic”, stressing that “we know what works” to prevent and control the threat.
“Preventing infections is the number one priority. This can be done through better vaccination, infection prevention and control, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), and improved animal husbandry,” he said.
“All of these work and can prevent AMR.”
Mr Nyemazi said strengthening surveillance, responsible use of antimicrobials, access to quality medicines and diagnostics, and reduction of environmental contamination could also make a difference.
“The tools exist, and the evidence is there, but the cost of inaction is rising. The longer we delay action, the higher the cost becomes,” he said.
He said the One Health approach, which recognises the links between human, animal, plant and environmental health, was essential because drug-resistant pathogens could move across sectors and borders.
According to him, parliamentarians have a critical role in ensuring that national AMR commitments are supported by legislation, financing and accountability.
“The media also plays an indispensable role. Journalists help bring AMR out of scientific circles and into public debate,” he said.
“They raise awareness, combat misinformation, and ensure that AMR remains visible to decision-makers and the public alike.”
He said WHO Member States approved an updated Global Action Plan on AMR at the World Health Assembly in May, providing a framework for combating AMR over the next 10 years through a One Health approach.
Mr Nyemazi said the updated plan placed stronger emphasis on prevention, governance, behavioural change and measurable targets, and that the four Quadripartite organisations developed it jointly.
He said the organisations comprised the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), WHO and World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH).
“What is new about the updated Global Action Plan on AMR for the next 10 years is that it is truly multi-sectoral – a genuine One Health plan.
“The previous plan was heavily focused on human health; this time the four Quadripartite organisations worked together and engaged all sectors,” he said.
Mr Nyemazi said a 10 per cent reduction in AMR was achievable through infection prevention and control, vaccination and improved access to quality antimicrobials, with better coordination, education and surveillance capable of delivering further gains.
He also called for investment in new antibiotics, antifungals, phage therapy and other technologies, while stressing the need to preserve existing medicines.
He said there was also a major access problem, with many regions unable to obtain even existing antibiotics.
A member of the European Parliament, Martin Häusling, said excessive antibiotic use in food-producing animals was contributing to the problem, particularly through mass treatment.
“When it comes to food-producing animals, we still use far too many last-resort antibiotics, and we must get away from that,” Mr Häusling said.
He said AMR was a global issue that could affect anyone, adding that it could destroy families and livelihoods.
To tackle it, the parliamentarian said it was important to create public awareness so that parliaments could address the issue properly, adding that the issue was still not taken as seriously as a future challenge should be.
Rob Purdie, an AMR survivor and member of the WHO Task Force of AMR Survivors, said his experience demonstrated the consequences of delayed diagnosis and treatment.
Mr Purdie said an infection that began with a headache eventually progressed to fungal meningitis after he received antibiotics for a condition that had not been properly diagnosed.
READ ALSO: Four Super Eagles stars who could decide Nigeria’s AFCON Qualifier against Guinea-Bissau
He said he eventually spent about $250,000 on hospital costs and had been unable to work for about five years.
“My ability to earn a living was eliminated for about five years in a single-income household where I provided for my wife and two children,” he said.
Mr Purdie said his experience underscored the need to keep AMR visible in public discussions.
“That is why it is so important for those of us who have survived and can speak, to remove the word ‘silent’ from the ‘silent pandemic’,” he said.
(NAN)
Discover more from Premium Times Nigeria
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
The Medical Women Association of Nigeria (MWAN) Plateau State, in collaboration with the Plateau State Specialist Hospital, has organised a free medical outreach for persons aged 60 and above in Jos.
The outreach, held to commemorate the 2026 International Day of Older Persons, featured free medical consultations, health talks, eye and ear examinations, blood pressure and blood sugar checks, general health screening and provision of basic medications.
The programme was held on October 2, a day after the official International Day of Older Persons, which is observed globally every October 1.
The 2026 celebration is themed “The Age of Longevity: Rethinking Systems for Longer Lives.”
Speaking during the event, Plateau State Commissioner for Health, Nicholas Ba’amlong, represented by the Director of Medical Services, Dr Stephen Bishmang, reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to strengthening the health system and ensuring access to healthcare regardless of age, status or circumstance.
Bishmang commended MWAN and the Plateau State Specialist Hospital for organising the outreach, noting that collaboration between government, healthcare professionals and civil society organisations could help improve healthcare delivery and the wellbeing of older persons.
State President of MWAN, Sekyen Sana, said the initiative was aimed at addressing the healthcare needs of older persons and helping them live healthier and more fulfilling lives.
She noted that ageing is a natural process and should not necessarily be associated with sickness, stress or emotional difficulties.
Sana said MWAN wants older persons to remain healthy, happy and able to enjoy their lives while encouraging them to pay greater attention to their health.
The Chief Medical Director of Plateau State Specialist Hospital, Professor Christopher Yilgwan, represented by Barnabas Saidu, welcomed the beneficiaries and encouraged them to take advantage of available healthcare services.
He also urged retirees and older persons who had not been enrolled in the state health insurance programme to make enquiries and register so they could access available medical services.
Saidu stressed the importance of regular health checks, noting that medical conditions can be identified and treated more effectively when detected early.
Also speaking, the Plateau State Chairman of the Nigeria Medical Association, Dr Shainan Andrew, pledged continued collaboration with MWAN and other stakeholders to expand healthcare interventions for older persons.
Andrew encouraged the beneficiaries to seek medical advice, ask questions about their health and take advantage of available healthcare services.
One of the beneficiaries, Da Samuel Davou, expressed appreciation to the organisers for providing the free medical services.
The organisers appealed to government agencies, non-governmental organisations, companies and other stakeholders to support similar initiatives to enable more older persons to access healthcare and enjoy healthier lives.
Related
-
News2 days agoPLASU Opens Doors to Global Investors at 2nd Inaugural Lecture
-
News2 days ago
Plateau Specialist Hospital Celebrates Nigeria at 66, Salutes Mutfwang’s Health Initiatives
-
News2 days ago
Nigeria At 66: Rotjimwa Yilyok Salutes President Tinubu, APC Leadership and Plateau Government
-
News3 days ago
Nigeria’s data protection agency’s revenue surges over ₦12b as compliance expands – Technology Times
