PROTOCOLS.
It gives me a great pleasure to be part of this occasion of the launch of this initiative tagged SightQuest Nigeria; a 10-year programme by the Christian Blind Mission (CBM) International to invest in inclusive Eye Health Services in an initial five states but expected to eventually scale up to 14 states of the Federation.
- Nigeria blindness prevalence of 0.78% is caused by as much as 84% by treatable or avoidable conditions such as cataract, glaucoma, refractive errors, corneal opacities, Neglected Tropical Diseases like trachoma and Onchocerciasis and emerging conditions like Diabetic Retinopathy. Lack of awareness and poor access to essential eye care services is therefore at the root of why many Nigerians are visually impaired with many seeking unorthodox eye care that often leads to disastrous outcomes.
- Distinguish ladies and gentlemen, it is an clear that individuals with impaired vision often have difficulty with performance of daily tasks, and are challenged in fending for themselves which potetially lowers their productivity and contribution to national economic growth. Furthermore, It has been established that the avoidance of blindness is key to the achievement of developmental and economic goals (SDG 1; no poverty) as vision loss alone costs the globe including Nigeria a whopping $411 billion annually. Meanwhile an investment of $1 in cost effective eye care interventions yields a return in investment of $28.
- Prevention of vision loss will lead to improved opportunities for some Nigerians, improved potentials to address their educational needs, better productivity at workplace, increased overall quality of life, increase life expectancy with all these having direct and indirect positive effects in the Gross Domestic Product of our country. The federal government is therefore commited to preventing avoidable vision loss and addressing the multifacted challenges associated with blindness. This commitment is encapusulated in policy documents like the National Eye Health Policy in 2019 (first comprehensive national eye health policy), which was adopted by all States and the Federal Capital Territory) and the National Eye Health Strategic Development Plan (2024-2028) currently being implemented. The plans, alligned with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR provide the operationalization template to deliver on our universal health coverage agenda and provide eye healthcare for all Nigerians.
- In line with this commitment, Mr. President has approved The Effective Spectacle Coverage Initiative Nigeria (ESCIN) otherwise known as JigiBola 2.0. As at today, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in collaboration with partners have implemented this flagship initiative in 15 States of the Federation. JigiBola 2.0 aims to distribute five million pairs of free reading glasses in Nigeria over a period of 4 years with a system strengthening component that integrates Primary Eye Care into Primary Health Care. The FMoH is poised to expand on this by providing at least 25,000 free cataract surgeries by the end of 2027.
- I therefore commend CBM International and its donors for supporting the Federal Government of Nigeria agenda to provide comprehensive and inclusive eye health that aims to:
• Improve access to cataract surgical services.
• Improve access to and quality of spectacles.
• Improve infrastructure for eye health services, and
• Enhance human resource capacity for eye health service provision.
The CBM International’s SightQuest Nigeria Programme will no doubt advance Nigeria’s journey towards meeting measurable milestones in line with global goals in eye health and disability inclusion by 2030. - In conclusion, I wish to use this opportunity to reiterate the full commitment of the Federal Government of Nigeria to the health including eye health of every citizens of the country. Under the Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative initiated by Mr. President, the government is systematically addressing the many challenges confronting health care delivery in our country including in areas of access, quality and financial protection. Global authorities including the WHO, World Bank, Africa CDC and so on have acknowledged that Nigeria is on the “right track” with its health reform agenda but needs the support of critical stakeholders in order to produce systemwide effects. I call on all Nigerian including our health workers to support the concerted implementation of the reforms so that we can ensure that all Nigerians have access to quality, affordable and accessible healthcare services without suffering financial hardship.
- And so with peace and plenty, Nigeria shall be blessed. Thank you for your attention.
