Sightsavers has screened more than 4.6 million Nigerians for eye conditions and supported over 14,000 cataract surgeries in the country between 2013 and 2026.
The organisation’s Eye Health Officer, Dr Joshua Ibenu, disclosed this at a two-day Media Partners Meeting in Keffi, Nasarawa State.
The meeting, which began on 6 November and ends on 7 November, brought together journalists from Kogi, Kwara, Benue, Nasarawa, Plateau and the Federal Capital Territory.
It is themed “Strengthening Media Partnerships for Inclusive and Impactful Storytelling.”
Ibenu said Sightsavers’ eye health strategy was designed to address the growing vision crisis by promoting equitable access to quality, inclusive and sustainable eye care services.
According to him, the organisation has also trained more than 27,000 teachers and primary eye health workers on basic eye care over the past 13 years.
He disclosed that about 4.25 million Nigerians aged 40 and above are blind or visually impaired, while approximately 1.13 million adults are blind.
Ibenu noted that 84 per cent of blindness in Nigeria is avoidable, with cataract accounting for 43 per cent of blindness.
He explained that cataract, unlike some other causes of blindness, can be treated effectively through surgery.
The eye health officer expressed concern that only about 4.4 per cent of Nigerians currently have access to eye health services, warning that poor vision also imposes significant economic costs through lost productivity and income.
“Because 84 per cent of blindness in Nigeria is avoidable, investments in cataract surgery, spectacles, school eye health programmes, and primary eye care can generate significant social and economic returns,” he said.
Ibenu said Sightsavers’ eye health programmes are currently being implemented in seven states and the FCT, adding that more than 60,000 Nigerians had benefited from refractive error correction services through its programmes over the past decade.
He said the organisation had also contributed to the development of key national eye health policies and guidelines, including the National Eye Health Policy, National Eye Health Strategy and Nigerian Glaucoma Guideline and related toolkits.
Giving an overview of Sightsavers’ global impact, Ibenu said the organisation had supported 9.7 million cataract operations and conducted 235.8 million eye examinations worldwide.
Earlier, the organisation’s Senior Finance Officer, Mr Fabian Tukman, spoke on the Sightsavers Disability Inclusion Programme, saying its vision was to create a world where no one is blind from avoidable causes and persons with disabilities can participate equally in society.
Tukman said the disability inclusion programme focuses on creating employment opportunities for persons with disabilities, while promoting economic empowerment through skills acquisition and mentorship.
He added that Sightsavers had provided revolving funds to persons with disabilities to enable them to establish and expand businesses.
Other components of the programme, he said, include education support for persons with disabilities, inclusive family planning, as well as training for more than 1,600 teachers and health workers.
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