The Federal Government has announced plans to provide fully subsidised eye care services to underserved communities across Nigeria as part of a renewed push to strengthen the country’s healthcare system.
Speaking at the Eyeball Summit 2025 organized by the Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians Registration Board of Nigeria in Abuja, the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, disclosed that the government will roll out the Renewed Hope Health Connect initiative under the 2025 health budget to address critical gaps in eye care services.
According to the minister, the intervention will offer free screenings for refractive errors, provision of prescribed eyeglasses under the JIGI BOLA 2.0 programme, cataract surgeries, and treatment for other eye conditions. “This initiative will reach vulnerable and “hard to reach” Nigerians in rural communities,” Salako stated.
The summit, themed “Shaping the Future of Eye Care in Nigeria: Strengthening Systems Through Strategic Alliances”, brought together experts and stakeholders to chart a course for the development of Nigeria’s eye health sector.
Salako emphasized the importance of collaboration in building a sustainable and inclusive eye care system. “We must recognise the complexity of the health sector and deploy integrated and coordinated efforts to achieve lasting change,” he said, urging professional bodies, NGOs, private organizations, and government agencies to partner strategically.
“Vision is an essential part of human existence,” the minister noted, adding that “ensuring that all Nigerians have access to quality eye care is not just a matter of health it is a matter of human dignity, empowerment, and progress.”
He also reaffirmed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to expanding healthcare access across all sectors, including eye care. “The government recognizes the pivotal role of optometrists and dispensing opticians. They are on the frontlines of preserving vision and quality of life,” Salako said.
The Minister further revealed plans to integrate eye care services into primary healthcare through the newly renamed National Eye, Ear and Other Sensory Health Programme. This includes training community health extension workers to detect and refer eye conditions, as part of efforts to decentralize and widen the reach of basic eye care services.
Highlighting the importance of professionalism, Salako called on the regulatory board to crack down on unlicensed practitioners. “As a regulatory body, I urge the Board to ensure that quacks are not given space to operate by deploying digital and other technologies to monitor the practice of optometry in the country,” he stated.
He concluded by encouraging stakeholders at the summit to generate actionable recommendations and maintain open dialogue to ensure long-term improvements. “The future of eye care in Nigeria lies in our collective efforts,” he said.