By Dr. Nafisat Makinde
Nigeria has launched its biggest-ever offensive against avoidable blindness with the signing of a landmark Memorandum of Understanding between the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and global eye-health technology leader Peek Vision.
The deal, inked Tuesday in Abuja, targets close to 25 million Nigerians currently living with preventable or treatable vision loss from cataract, uncorrected refractive errors and glaucoma by turning ordinary smartphones into powerful diagnostic tools in the hands of health workers, teachers and community volunteers.
Minister of State for Health, Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, called the partnership “a covenant for a healthier future” and a decisive step toward Universal Health Coverage. “We are embracing the digital revolution to bring eye care to the last mile, especially in rural communities,” he said.
The MoU rests on three core pillars: nationwide digital screening with real-time data systems, massive training of frontline workers and teachers, and a guaranteed care pathway so no patient falls through the cracks. It is fully aligned with the Renewed Hope Agenda and the National Strategic Eye Health Plan.
Peek Vision CEO Prof Andrew Bastawrous announced that implementation has already begun. One programme is currently screening 5,000 people, while a new initiative backed by Sightsavers, the Central Bank of Nigeria and Manhattan will reach 1.2 million schoolchildren in two years.
For millions of Nigerians living in the shadow of needless blindness, the message is clear: clear sight, dignity and opportunity are finally coming, one smartphone screen at a time.
