The Federal Government has inaugurated a nationwide, fully subsidised eye care initiative under the Renewed Hope Health Connect programme, to provide free services to underserved Nigerians.
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Salako disclosed this on Thursday during the Eyeball Summit 2025 in Abuja.
The summit was organised by the Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians Registration Board of Nigeria (ODORBN), focused on the theme “Shaping the Future of Eye Care in Nigeria: Strengthening Systems Through Strategic Alliances.”
According to Salako, the new initiative includes free screening for refractive errors, treatment of eye conditions, cataract surgeries, and the distribution of prescription eyeglasses under the Jigi Bola 2.0 programme, an upgraded version of the original Lagos-based eye care intervention.
Salako said: “He 2025 budget, the Renewed Hope Health Connect will provide 100 per cent subsidised healthcare services to vulnerable Nigerians in hard-to-reach areas.”
He said that the government was committed to equitable access to quality eye care regardless of location or income status.
He urged stakeholders, including professional bodies, NGOS, private sector players, and community leaders, to form strategic alliances to bridge gaps in training, infrastructure, and service delivery.
He also revealed plans to integrate eye care into primary healthcare, with community health workers and nurses being trained to detect and refer eye conditions.
He reaffirmed the commitment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to strengthening the health system and supporting frontline eye care professionals.
He also called on the regulatory board to clamp down on quack practitioners by adopting technology to monitor the practice of optometry in Nigeria.
The minister expressed hope that the summit would yield innovative recommendations to shape a sustainable, inclusive future for eye care in the country.
NAN
