Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has launched a series of initiatives to tackle glaucoma, a leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide.Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Salako, disclosed this at a press briefing to commemorate the World Glaucoma Week in Abuja with the theme: “Uniting for a Glaucoma Free World; See the Future Clearly.” Dr Salako said the goal is to state the importance of regular eye checks and early diagnosis of this largely asymptomatic and devastating disease, thus preserving the vision of those affected.
He added that glaucoma affects an estimated 60.5 million people globally, with 87% percent living in developing countries. In Nigeria, glaucoma is responsible for 16.7 percent of blindness, with over 4.2 percent of the population affected.
“The ministry has developed and launched the National Glaucoma Screening and Treatment Guidelines, providing clinical and programmatic guidance for screening and management of glaucoma and the guidelines have been distributed to all states and the Federal Capital Territory.
Dr Salako commended partners, including the Clinton Health Access Initiative, CHAI, Sightsavers and One Sight EssilorLuxottica Foundation, OSELF, for their support in reducing the burden of vision loss in Nigeria.
The minister stated that to address the challenge of vision loss, the ministry has also implemented the Effective Spectacle Coverage Initiative Nigeria, ESCIN, also known as JigiBola 2.0. The initiative aims to provide free vision screening and distribute five million pairs of reading glasses to Nigerians over the next three years.
Dr Salako commended partners, including the Clinton Health Access Initiative, CHAI, Sightsavers and One Sight EssilorLuxottica Foundation, OSELF, for their support in reducing the burden of vision loss in Nigeria.
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