FCMB Advocates for Eye Care Financing Partnerships

First City Monument Bank (FCMB) has advocated for sustainable financing and public-private partnerships to combat avoidable blindness and improve access to eye care in Nigeria. This call was made during a roundtable in Abuja, organized in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the National Eye, Ear and Sensory Functions Health Programme, and the Tulsi Chanrai Foundation (TCF).

The theme of the event was “Gift of Sight: Mobilising Partnerships and Sustainable Funding Towards Transforming Eye Care in Nigeria.” FCMB’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Yemisi Edun, represented by Diran Olojo, emphasized the need for eye health to be prioritized in national development as it significantly impacts human capital. Dr Iziaq Salako, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, supported the initiative and suggested financing mechanisms such as blended finance and social impact bonds.

Oteri Okolo, the National Coordinator of the National Eye, Ear and Sensory Functions Health Programme, noted that restoring sight is a cost-effective development intervention, while TCF’s CEO, Shravan Kasam, stressed the importance of combining expertise and resources to address avoidable blindness.