Uburu, Ebonyi State – At least 24 million Nigerians are currently living with one form of sight loss or another, according to Professor Jesse Uneke, Vice Chancellor of David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences (DUFUHS), Uburu.
The revelation came during a press briefing at the unveiling of the university’s Free Eye Care Initiative and Eye Research Programme, hosted at the newly established Institute for Eye Health and Visual Sciences Research (IEHVSR) in Ebonyi State.
Professor Uneke, a renowned Medical Parasitologist and Health Policy/Systems expert, drew attention to the staggering statistics while citing findings from the Nigeria National Blindness and Visual Impairment Survey. According to him, about 4.2 percent of Nigerians above 40 years are blind, while an additional 4.25 million adults in that age category live with moderate to severe visual impairment.
He lamented that 84 percent of blindness cases in Nigeria are preventable, yet many Nigerians continue to suffer unnecessarily due to avoidable conditions. He attributed the major causes to cataracts, uncorrected refractive errors, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, infections, and trauma.
“Blindness in Nigeria is strongly associated with increasing age, female gender, and poor literacy levels. Unfortunately, the majority of these cases could have been avoided,” Professor Uneke stressed.
DUFUHS Steps In With a Bold Solution
In response to what he described as a national eye health crisis, DUFUHS has taken bold steps to transform Nigeria’s visual health sector. With the support of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), the university recently established a world-class Eye Centre alongside the IEHVSR, designed as a hub for patient care, groundbreaking research, and specialized training.
The Free Eye Care Initiative, which began in February 2025, has already recorded remarkable impact. According to the Vice Chancellor, 2,412 patients have benefited from the programme so far, including:
- 1,352 patients treated for refractive errors
- 627 patients treated for cataracts
- 168 patients treated for glaucoma
- 265 patients treated for other eye conditions
In addition, the university distributed 1,000 free eyeglasses—400 reading glasses and 600 prescription glasses—at no cost to beneficiaries, most of whom were drawn from underserved communities.
A Multidisciplinary Approach to Eye Care
Professor Uneke explained that the newly established centre operates on a multidisciplinary model, bringing together ophthalmologists, optometrists, nurses, biomedical engineers, and ICT experts to deliver integrated eye care services.
This approach, he noted, is especially targeted at rural and low-income populations in Ebonyi and surrounding states, who are often the hardest hit by blindness and visual impairment.
“Our goal is not just to treat eye conditions but to strengthen prevention, improve access, and reduce the burden of blindness in Nigeria. The Institute for Eye Health and Visual Sciences Research is designed to become a centre of excellence in Africa,” he said.
Aligning With Global and National Agendas
Beyond its immediate impact, the DUFUHS programme aligns with the World Health Organization’s SPECS 2030 Agenda, which seeks to expand global access to affordable refractive error services.
Professor Uneke further emphasized that the initiative is consistent with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly in reducing medical and educational tourism by equipping Nigerian institutions to deliver world-class services locally.
Hope for the Future
With millions of Nigerians still battling preventable blindness, the university has pledged to sustain and expand its efforts in research, training, and community outreach.
“DUFUHS will continue to invest in eye health solutions that save lives, restore vision, and restore hope. We are determined to ensure that fewer Nigerians lose their sight to conditions that can be prevented or treated,” Professor Uneke concluded.
The launch of the Free Eye Care Initiative and the Eye Research Programme marks a turning point for eye health in Nigeria, offering renewed hope to millions at risk of vision loss.
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