Federal Gov’t Screens 1.5m Nigerians, Distributes 1.4m Eyeglasses

The federal government has screened over 1.5 million Nigerians for vision impairment and distributed 1.4 million free reading glasses nationwide within one year under the Effective Spectacle Coverage Initiative Nigeria (ESCIN), also known as Jigibola 2.0.

It also warned against the use of fake and substandard eyeglasses and urged Nigerians to access eye care services only from government-approved centres.

The minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziaq Adekunle Salako, disclosed this to State House correspondents yesterday at the Presidential Villa on the implementation of the presidential initiative.

Salako said 1,541,325 Nigerians had been screened for presbyopia, while 1,444,581 free reading glasses were dispensed within 12 months across 16 states, representing a 94 per cent utilisation rate of donated spectacles.

The benefiting states are Bayelsa, Delta, Ekiti, FCT, Gombe, Imo, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Lagos, Plateau, Ogun, Kwara, Benue, Sokoto and Jigawa.

According to him, 65 per cent of beneficiaries received their first-ever pair of glasses, while 53 per cent were women, reflecting the programme’s contribution to improving access and equity in healthcare.

He said the programme is anchored on the Primary Health Care (PHC) system, with over 800 PHCs empowered to deliver eye care services, including vision screening, counselling, visual acuity measurement, prescription, dispensing of glasses and referrals.

Salako also said 2,216 PHC workers have been trained in Primary Eye Care, while 811 PHC facilities are now delivering routine eye health services.

Addressing concerns about substandard eyewear, the minister said regulatory agencies such as the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) are enforcing quality control measures, assuring Nigerians that all eyeglasses provided under Jigibola 2.0 are certified and safe.

He urged the public to patronise only registered centres and appealed to the media to report any unregulated or substandard practices for swift government action.

Speaking on rural access, Salako said the programme was deliberately anchored on the Primary Health Care (PHC) system, noting that government had empowered over 800 PHCs where eye services have been integrated into routine PHC services.

According to him, PHCs can now conduct screening, counselling, measure visual acuity, issue prescriptions where appropriate and make referrals when necessary.

Salako also addressed the recent industrial action in the health sector, saying health workers had resumed work effective from last Friday, adding that measures were being put in place to sustain industrial harmony.

He said many health workers were back at their duty posts and actively participating in the initiative.

On her part, the director and national coordinator of the National Eye, Ear and Sensory Functions Programme (NESHP), Okolo Oteri, said Jigibola 2.0 goes beyond statistics, describing it as a programme that restores dignity, productivity and inclusion.

Oteri said visual impairment is a silent economic drain, particularly among Nigerians aged 40 to 60, noting that the initiative has enabled artisans, traders, farmers and skilled workers to return to work with renewed confidence and productivity.

She recalled a field experience where a beneficiary described the glasses as a personal gift from the President, saying the remark captured what the programme represents to ordinary Nigerians.

Also, the executive director of the Livelihood Impact Fund, Abigail Steinberg said the fund was overjoyed to celebrate Jigibola 2.0, describing it as an initiative whose significance was recognised by President Tinubu.

Steinberg said more than 74 million Nigerians currently need some form of eye care, while about 25 million require only reading glasses, she said cost less than ₦1,000 to produce.

She added that the loss to GDP from near-vision impairment alone is estimated globally at $25 billion, arguing that for many individuals, all that stands between them and restored productivity is a simple pair of glasses.

She said Jigibola 2.0 stands out for both ambition and execution, noting that it has reached over 1.5 million Nigerians across 16 states in just over one year.