FG targets 25,000 free cataract surgeries by 2027
The federal government has set a target of performing 25,000 free cataract surgeries by the end of 2027 as part of efforts to reduce avoidable blindness and expand access to eye care across the country.
The initiative, under the Renewed Hope Health Connect Initiative, is being implemented in line with the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII).
Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziaq Salako, disclosed this during the commemoration of the 2026 World Sight Day in Abuja, themed “Love Your Eyes”.
Salako, who was represented by the Director of the E-Health Division, Doris Aneke, said the government considered eye health a public health and development priority because of its impact on education, productivity, independence and quality of life.
According to a statement issued on Thursday by Ado Bako, Assistant Director of Information and Public Relations, the ministry is integrating eye care into primary healthcare services to improve access to treatment.
Salako said cataracts remained a major cause of avoidable blindness, adding that the planned surgeries would help restore sight and independence to thousands of Nigerians.
He listed some of the government’s ongoing interventions to include the training of more than 3,000 health workers across 16 states and the activation of over 1,400 primary healthcare centres to provide basic eye care services.
The minister also said more than 1.5 million pairs of reading spectacles had been distributed across 16 states through the Effective Spectacle Coverage Initiative Nigeria, also known as Jajibola 2.0.
