World Sight Day: Foundation Demands Equal Access To Healthcare, Jobs, Education For Visually Impaired Nigerians

PROSPER OKOYE 

The call to prevent avoidable blindness in Nigeria must go beyond campaigns and include concrete support for citizens already living with visual impairment, a leading health advocate has said.

Dr. Kiema Ogunlana, Programme Director of Daisy Oak Foundation, stated that while prevention remains critical, persons with existing vision loss are often denied access to basic healthcare, education and employment opportunities.

She spoke on Thursday during a World Sight Day medical outreach organised for residents of Ruga community, a hard-to-reach settlement along Airport Road in Abuja.

According to her, eye health interventions should have two tracks — preventing new cases of blindness and also empowering those who are already visually impaired to live dignified and productive lives.

“While we are investing in preventing vision loss, there should also be investment in those who are already visually impaired to ensure that they are not denied access to health, employment and other social opportunities,” Ogunlana said.

She referenced data from the World Health Organization which estimates that about 2.2 billion people globally suffer from near or distance vision impairment, with at least one billion cases preventable or yet to be addressed.

Ogunlana explained that the outreach in Ruga was deliberately targeted at underserved families who rarely have access to eye screening due to poverty and location.

“We need to be conscious about our eye health. This is why this kind of intervention, especially in communities that are very hard to reach, is very important to us,” she said.

During the outreach, the Daisy Oak Foundation, in collaboration with partner organisations, provided free comprehensive eye examinations, reading glasses and prescription eyeglasses, eye-health education sessions, general health talks, deworming tablets and basic medical checks.

She said the goal was not only treatment but also awareness.

“We have ensured that they understand the importance of taking care of their health, especially their eyes. Because behind those statistics are real people,” she added.

This year’s World Sight Day theme, “Every Story Counts,” focuses on putting human experiences at the centre of eye care advocacy and ensuring no one is left behind.

Also speaking, Programme Officer at Sam Empowerment Foundation (SEF), Okechukwu Chibueze, said the theme highlights the unique journey of every individual.

“In line with the theme, ‘Every Story Counts’, we know that each person comes from a diverse background which defines their story and their sight history. Beyond this, we are here to unveil to them possibilities beyond what they see,” Chibueze said.

He noted that sight goes beyond physical vision.

“There are two ways to see. One is mental and the second is visual,” he added, stressing that collaboration among NGOs remains key to reaching more communities in line with SDG Goal 17 on partnership.

On his part, Chairman of the Nigerian Optometric Association, FCT Chapter, Dr. Njezi Chinedu, said the theme was chosen to remind stakeholders that behind every eye health statistic is a human being.

He disclosed that an estimated 4.2 million Nigerians are currently at risk of blindness, a situation that threatens livelihoods and education.

“Behind this statistic is a father who, because of his visual impairment, cannot function at work and therefore cannot give his best. He is at risk of losing his job and putting his family on the poverty line,” he said.

He added that children are equally affected.

“Behind the statistics of children who are out of school because they cannot see is a child who might never reach his potential because his vision is impaired.”

Chinedu called on federal and state governments, as well as private and non-governmental organisations, to take affordable and quality eye care to rural and urban slum communities where access remains limited.

He also warned Nigerians against self-medication and use of unverified traditional concoctions for eye problems.

“I advise Nigerians to always seek professional care. The era of going under the bridge to put whatever concoction into the eyes is over,” he said, noting that such practices often cause permanent damage.