FG Aims for 5 Million Spectacles, 25,000 Surgeries by 2027

The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced a significant initiative to combat avoidable blindness, targeting the distribution of at least five million free pairs of spectacles and conducting 25,000 cataract surgeries by the end of 2027. This announcement was made by Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, during the 51st Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference of the Ophthalmological Society of Nigeria in Abuja.

The initiative will utilize digital technologies such as tele-ophthalmology and artificial intelligence to extend eye-care services to primary healthcare centres and underserved rural communities. Under the DigiBola 2.0 programme, nearly two million Nigerians have already been screened, and over 1.3 million have received free reading glasses.

Dr. Salako emphasized the importance of developing affordable digital solutions for low-resource communities and called for enhanced research and policy collaboration. Prof. Afekhide Ernest Omoti of the Nigerian Medical Association stressed the need for strong professional ethics alongside technological advancements in eye care.