Why Early Detection Is Key To Saving Sight

Because the world marks World Glaucoma Week 2025, Nigeria joins the worldwide effort to boost consciousness about this silent however devastating eye illness.

Glaucoma is the main reason for irreversible blindness worldwide, typically progressing unnoticed till vital imaginative and prescient loss happens. In accordance with the Nigerian Blindness and Visible Impairment Survey (2005-2007), over 16.7 per cent of blindness instances within the nation had been as a result of glaucoma.

This statistic highlights the pressing want for early detection and administration, particularly as research present that folks of African descent expertise extra extreme types of the illness at an earlier age.

Talking throughout a ministerial press briefing in Abuja, the Minister of State for Well being and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Salako, emphasised the significance of normal eye check-ups in combating glaucoma. He famous that whereas the illness is irreversible, early detection and correct administration can protect imaginative and prescient and enhance sufferers‘ high quality of life.

With the theme “Uniting for a Glaucoma-Free World: See the Future Clearly,” the minister reaffirmed the federal authorities‘s dedication to combating glaucoma by means of consciousness campaigns, screening programmes, and improved entry to remedy.

He stated the ministry has taken vital steps to deal with the glaucoma burden within the nation, together with the Nationwide Glaucoma Screening and Remedy Tips, developed to supply standardised medical and programmatic steering for eye well being professionals.

This doc additionally promotes affected person help teams, which play a vital position in bettering remedy adherence and social help for people dwelling with glaucoma, he added.

To make sure widespread implementation, ophthalmologists from all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) had been skilled on the rules, Dr Salako revealed, including {that a} assessment assembly in January 2025 recognized gaps in implementation, resulting in strategic changes to enhance service supply.

In accordance with him, the Eye Information United Kingdom has acknowledged Nigeria’s efforts, stating that these interventions may considerably affect glaucoma administration throughout Sub-Saharan Africa.Past glaucoma, Dr Salako stated the federal government was additionally addressing broader eye well being points by means of the Efficient Spectacle Protection Initiative Nigeria (ESCIN), popularly referred to as JigiBola 2.0. The initiative, launched in 2023, goals to supply free imaginative and prescient screening and distribute 5 million pairs of studying glasses over three years.bOver 100,000 Nigerians have already been screened, and greater than 80,000 spectacles have been disbursed, he defined.

Additionally, he stated to this point, over 3,000 PHC staff throughout 15 states have been skilled to handle easy eye situations, present first support, and educate communities on eye well being.

“The combination of PEC into PHC has the potential to remodel Nigeria’s eye care system. Somewhat than ready for sufferers to succeed in city tertiary hospitals, we’re bringing important eye care nearer to the folks,“ he acknowledged.

The minister has urged researchers and innovators to leverage know-how and synthetic intelligence to develop early detection strategies and simpler remedy choices for glaucoma.With sustained efforts from the federal government, well being professionals, and worldwide companions, a future the place each Nigerian can see clearly is possible.