Government Urged To Rejig Eyecare Services

The Guild of Optometric Directors of Nigeria (GOODON) has urged the federal government to leverage on advanced knowledge and skills, strategies and other practical tools to address the myriad of challenges facing the eyecare system in Nigeria.

The president of GOODON, Dr Adesuwa Agbontaen and the national secretary, Dr Chibuzor Clement-George, disclosed this during the second annual national conference and business meeting of the Guild of Optometric Directors of Nigeria in Lagos with the theme: “Navigating Challenges in Eye Care Practice: Business Development Strategies.”

The event drew participants from different sectors of the economy; optometrists from both private and public sectors, speakers, guests, exhibitors among others.

Agbontaen informed that the guild is a private sector umbrella group for all pro-optometry stakeholders in the eye care sub-sector in Nigeria.

With about 70 percent of professional eye care services delivered through private sector practitioners, GOODON plays a key role in making quality eye care services accessible to Nigerians, while helping to provide an enabling environment for investment in the eye care.

According to him, having taken a critical look at many issues affecting the economy, the health sector and the eye care service delivery system, they are worried about the increasing number of unqualified persons delivering eyecare to Nigerians.

„This, we the Guild believes arises principally from the inadequacy of attention being paid to eye care by the government. Ignorance and poor access to quality eye care has led many Nigerians to becoming victims of illicit and unprofessional care by charlatans leading to vision impairment and complete vision loss to them,” he said.

He said, considering that majority of eye care services provided to Nigerians are provided by private sector operators, the Guild advocates for more support to private sector operators via soft loans, grants, public-private partnership opportunities, favourable import waivers and tax considerations on eye health equipment and facilities, among others.

These, the Guild believes will help foster improved service delivery and affordability to Nigerians.

The Guild notes the increasing rate of brain drain and loss of optometrists to foreign countries thereby leading to dearth of professional cadre staff to help her members continue delivering quality eye care services to Nigerians.

The chairman of the occasion and chief executive officer (CEO) of AfyA Care, Mr Tosin Runsewe, who was ably represented by the managing director, Bastion Health HMO, Naomi Aduku, called on all stakeholders to work together to tackle the challenges of eyecare service delivery.