In furtherance of its desire to prevent visual impairment and blindness among residents, the Ogun State Government is planning to introduce a subsidised eye care initiative to be known as ‘Jigi Dapo’, to provide eye care services to residents, especially students in primary and junior secondary schools.

Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker who made this known at a press conference in Abeokuta, said the services would include eye examination, provision of eye glasses and other treatment options, irrespective of locations, noting that it would be integrated into Primary Health Care services.

According to Coker, ‘’ visual impairment or blindness was a condition that affects every aspect of life and people of all ages. Globally many people have near or distant impairments”.

The Commissioner said the Prince Dapo Abiodun led administration has made diverse investments to ensure provision of quality healthcare, including eye care services, explaining that the State commemorated the year ‘2021 World Sight Day’ by conducting free eye screening, treatment and distribution of glasses to more than a thousand junior secondary school students across the three Senatorial Districts of the State.

She added that the State piloted a Public Private Partnership project to improve eye healthcare services in selected Primary Health Centres, assuring that it would scale up additional sites in the 20 Local Government Areas to ensure that more people benefit.

Coker called on all stakeholders including donors, Non-Governmental and Civil Society Organisations, as well as community leaders to support and drive the initiative, to promote and improve access to eye health care services.