Government to provide 25,000 free cataract surgeries by 2027

The federal government has announced plans to provide 25,000 free cataract surgeries across the country by the end of 2027. This initiative is aimed at reducing avoidable blindness and improving access to quality eye care.

Iziaq Salako, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, made this announcement on Thursday. He spoke at the 49th Annual Scientific Conference of the Nigerian Optometric Association (NOA) and the African Council of Optometry (AFCO) meeting in Abuja.

Mr Salako explained that the surgeries will be part of the Renewed Hope Health Connect initiative. This program aims to bring healthcare services closer to communities that lack good medical facilities.

He mentioned that the funding for this program has already been allocated in the federal budgets for 2025 and 2026. Implementation is expected to start 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.

The minister pointed out that eye health has been neglected for years. Many Nigerians suffer from preventable visual impairment, which affects their productivity and quality of life.

He said President Bola Tinubu is focusing on expanding primary eye care services and tackling preventable blindness. This will be done through continuous investments, reforms, and better healthcare systems.

According to him, the National Eye Health Strategic Development Plan 2024, 2028 will integrate eye care services at all healthcare levels. This aims to improve early detection of eye problems across the country.

Mr Salako shared that the federal government has also launched the Nigeria Glaucoma Guidelines and Toolkit. This is to standardize the diagnosis, treatment, and referral processes for managing glaucoma in healthcare facilities nationwide.

He added that ophthalmologists from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory have been trained on these guidelines. This training will help in effective implementation and improve patient care across the country.

Additionally, under the Effective Spectacle Coverage Initiative Nigeria-JigiBola 2.0, over 2,220 primary healthcare workers in 16 states have been trained to conduct vision screenings.

He noted that the JigiBola 2.0 initiative has screened nearly two million Nigerians and provided more than 1.3 million people with free reading glasses in participating states.

Mr Salako said that about 66 percent of those who received glasses got their first pair through this program. This shows the huge need for eye care services in the country.

"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 stated.

Mr Salako described optometrists as key players in community eye health. He emphasized that their skills are essential for achieving universal eye health coverage and reducing preventable blindness across Nigeria.