Kwara dispenses over 100,000 reading glasses, expands eye care services to 83 PHCs

By Ahmed Olayinka

The Kwara State Government has recorded a major milestone in its drive to improve access to quality eye care, announcing that more than 100,000 pairs of reading glasses have been dispensed to residents through the VisionSpring-supported Nigeria Jigi-Bola Initiative, THE PRIME NEWS reports.

The government also disclosed that eye care services have been expanded to 83 Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) across the state’s 16 local government areas, following the addition of 32 new facilities to the programme.

To strengthen the expanded services, the Kwara State Primary Health Care Development Agency (KWSPHCDA), in partnership with VisionSpring, has commenced a five-day capacity-building training for health workers drawn from the newly selected healthcare facilities.

The training, currently holding in Ilorin, is designed to equip participants with practical skills in basic eye screening, vision assessment, data management, referral of complex eye cases and the dispensing of reading glasses.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Executive Secretary of KWSPHCDA, Prof. Nusirat Elelu, described the initiative as a transformative intervention that has significantly improved the quality of life of thousands of residents by restoring their vision and enhancing productivity.

She commended VisionSpring for its sustained support and appreciated the Kwara State Government for providing the enabling environment that has made the programme successful.

According to her, integrating eye care services into primary healthcare centres has brought essential eye care closer to people at the grassroots, while urging participants to take full advantage of the training to improve service delivery.

Also speaking, the Project Coordinator of the PHC POWERS Project at VisionSpring, Dr. Sa’ad Ado Koki, disclosed that Kwara State had already exceeded the programme’s 2025–2027 target by dispensing more than 100,000 pairs of reading glasses within just one year of implementation.

He said the achievement has placed Kwara among the leading states implementing the initiative and has further strengthened VisionSpring’s commitment to expanding its partnership with the state.

Dr. Koki attributed the remarkable success to the unwavering support of the Kwara State Government, the dedication of frontline healthcare workers and the conducive environment created for development partners to thrive.

Earlier, the Director of Primary Health Care Systems, Dr. Michael Oguntoye, applauded VisionSpring for its continued collaboration with the state and encouraged participants to actively engage in the training to enhance their professional competence.

Also addressing participants, the Kwara State Director of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Ibrahim Abubakar, commended the partnership between VisionSpring and the state government, noting that the agency has consistently supported the initiative through extensive public enlightenment and advocacy campaigns across the state.

The expansion of the programme is expected to further improve access to affordable and quality eye care services for residents, particularly those in rural and underserved communities, while strengthening the state’s primary healthcare system.