Kogiflame
An International Non Govermental Organisation, Sightsavers Nigeria on Thursday disclosed that over 4.2 million Nigerians are blind or visually impaired.
Ms Barbara Marok, Eye health programme officer, revealed that many cases stemmed from preventable conditions like cataracts, glaucoma, and uncorrected refractive errors.
She made this known at a two day media partners meeting with Journalists from Kogi, Federal Capital Territory, Benue, Kwara, Niger, Nassarawa and Plateau State holding in Keffi
While highlighting the staggering statistics, she called for increased awareness and investment in eye health services, particularly in rural communities where access to eye care remains a significant challenge.
Her words, “Over 4.25 million Nigerians are blind or visually impaired, many due to preventable or treatable conditions like cataracts, glaucoma and corrective retractive errors.
“Only 4.4 per cent of Nigerians access eye care health, compared to 38 per cent in middle-income countries,” she said.
Nigeria losses billions of naira annually due to poor vision, which has reduced productivity, lower income, and educational setback she said.
Also Senior monitoring Evaluation and Learning Manager NTDs/ Safeguarding Lead Sightsavers Nigeria, Ms Folake Aliu in her presentation said Nigeria bears 25 per cent of Africa’s NTD burden.
She explained that some causes of blindness were preventable such as cataracts, glaucoma, and uncorrected refractive errors.
She added that the organisation was tackling the five most prevalent NTDs, which include lymphatic filariasis (elephantiasis); river blindness (onchoccerciasis); trachoma;intestinal worms and schistosomiasis.
“As at 2024, Sightsavers has been able to ensure over 653.1 million people were treated for NTD.
“We also supported 74 local government areas to reach trachoma elimination threshold and provided 80 per cent support for trachoma elimination in Nigeria,” she said.
She, however, noted challenges of insecurity, poor government ownership funding gaps, ineffective execution of programmes, amongst others as challenges affecting the elimination of NTD in Nigeria.
Prof Joy Shuaibu, Country Director of Sightsavers Nigeria in her opening speaech said the meeting was to equip journalists with information that will further amplify messages in the fight against avoidable blindness.
The Country Director who was represented by Mrs Anita Gwong, Project Director, NTDs, said the organisation has impacted about 60 per cent of Nigeria’s population through its various interventions.
She, therefore, charged media the media to amplify issues around NTD, encourage ownership of projects by the government, close funding gap, and implementation of policies that will address challenges affecting access to healthcare and education for PWDs.
Speaking on social inclusion, Ms Esther Bature, Sightsavers Advocacy coordinator, noted the discrimination often faced by Persons with Disabilities (PWD), which has hindered them from accessing healthcare, facilities, education, amongst others.
She added that through its inclusive programmes like the Support Mainstreaming Inclusion to all Learn Equally (SMILE); Inclusive Family Planning project; Inclusion Works ll; GESP-SABI Woman, they have promoted social inclusion.
