… As FG Rolls out 5m Free Eye Reading Glasses
By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
The federal government, through the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, has reiterated its commitment to integrate accessible eye care services at Primary Healthcare Centres, PHCs, across the country for millions of Nigerians for prevention of blindness.
The move is to improve 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, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, stated this in Abuja, Thursday 9 October 2025 during the commemoration of the 2025 World Sight Day, themed “Love Your Eyes.”
Salako, represented by Dr. Jimoh Olawale Salaudeen, Director of Hospital Services Department, said that the initiative aims to make eye care accessible to millions of Nigerians, particularly those in underserved and rural communities.
He noted that vision plays a crucial role in socio-economic development, stressing that eye health is now recognized as part of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in line with Nigeria’s adoption of the “Vision for Everyone” resolution at the UN General Assembly.
Dr. Salako said, “Evidence has shown that individuals with impaired vision have difficulty performing daily tasks, and their productivity declines significantly,”
“The avoidance of blindness is key to achieving SDG 1, No Poverty,because vision loss costs the globe an estimated $411 billion annually,
He highlighted 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 and strengthening the nation’s health system toward universal coverage.
According to Salako, to ensure widespread impact, the ministry has trained 12 master trainers across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones to further train state-level personnel on the integration of PEC into PHC. Data collection and reporting tools for PHC facilities have also been developed to enhance monitoring and evaluation.
The minister explained that this integration would empower primary health care workers to manage simple eye conditions and refer complex cases appropriately, thereby improving early diagnosis and reducing avoidable vision loss.
Meanwhile, Dr. Salako announced the rollout of the Effective Spectacle Coverage Initiative Nigeria (ESCIN), also known as Jigibola 2.0, which aims to distribute five million free reading glasses across 15 states within three years.
The initiative targets uncorrected refractive errors, particularly presbyopia, a common cause of visual impairment in older adults.
“By prioritizing eye health today, we are investing in a brighter, more prosperous tomorrow for Nigeria,” he added.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Daju Kachollom, represented by Dr. Oteri Okolo Eme National Coordinator of the National Eye, Ear and Sensory Functions Health Programme NESHP, urged Nigerians to imbibe regular eye check-ups and early detection of eye diseases.
She emphasized that eye health is not only a medical concern but also central to achieving universal health coverage and driving national development.
“The economic and social implications of vision impairment are enormous, especially for a young and growing population like Nigeria’s. We must act now to prevent avoidable blindness and improve quality of life,” she said.
She explained that the NESHP, has recently expanded its mandate to include ear and sensory functions health, engaged state and community structures to strengthen advocacy, improve service delivery, and ensure community ownership of interventions.
Meanwhile, she disclosed that under the Effective Spectacle Coverage Initiative Nigeria (ESCIN), JigiBola 2.0, has dispensed over 1.2 million free pairs of reading glasses within one year, with 66% of beneficiaries receiving their first pair and over half being women.
