An NGO, Sightsavers International, has revealed that more than 4.24 million Nigerians suffer from blindness or visual impairment, mostly due to preventable or treatable conditions such as cataracts, glaucoma, and uncorrected refractive errors. Esther Bature, Advocacy Coordinator for Sightsavers Nigeria, shared this alarming figure during a workshop in Kano aimed at enhancing collaboration between the media and the NGO on health and disability inclusion.
Bature highlighted the huge gap in eye care, with only 4.4% of Nigerians having access to eye health services compared to 38% in middle-income countries. She called on the government and stakeholders to boost investment and awareness using the ‘4Ps Approach’: Preserve, Prioritise, Prevent, and Protect. Sightsavers emphasizes bridging the rural-urban divide and pushing inclusive policies for women, children, and persons with disabilities to improve eye health outcomes nationwide.
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