February 13, (THEWILL) – The David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences (DUFUHS), Uburu, has assured Nigerians, especially those with limited financial resources, of improved access to quality eye care services.
Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Jessy Uneke, gave the assurance during the commissioning of the DUFUHS Eye Centre in Uburu, Ebonyi State.
Speaking at the event, Uneke noted that vision impairment and blindness significantly affect lives, particularly in low- and middle-income countries like Nigeria, where access to essential eye care remains limited.
He described the newly inaugurated facility as a state-of-the-art Centre of Excellence dedicated to eye research, training, and patient care.
“The DUFUHS Ultramodern Eye Centre is equipped with cutting-edge technology and a multidisciplinary team of experts focused on research, training, and treatment of eye-related conditions. Our goal is to ensure that more Nigerians, especially those in underserved communities, have access to quality eye care,”* Uneke said.
Quoting statistics from the World Health Organization (WHO), the vice-chancellor highlighted that at least one billion people globally suffer from vision impairment that could have been prevented or has yet to be addressed.
“Eye conditions are remarkably common, and those who live long enough will likely experience at least one in their lifetime. Without timely detection and intervention, reduced or lost eyesight can have serious personal and economic consequences,” he stated.
He identified cataracts and uncorrected refractive errors as the leading causes of vision impairment, alongside conditions such as glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, and infectious diseases of the eye.
According to him, an estimated 24 million Nigerians suffer from sight loss, with 4.2% of individuals over 40 years old classified as blind. He further cited the National Blindness and Visual Impairment Survey, which estimates that 4.25 million adults aged 40 and above have moderate to severe visual impairment or blindness, with 84% of cases attributed to preventable causes.
“Many Nigerians lack access to basic eye care, putting them at a higher risk of visual impairment and disability. The DUFUHS Eye Centre is designed to bridge this gap by increasing accessibility to eye care, particularly for rural dwellers in Ebonyi State. We aim to raise awareness about the importance of regular eye examinations, provide affordable treatment options, and develop long-term strategies to sustain eye care services,”Uneke explained.
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