LAGOS, Nigeria(VOICE OF NAIJA)– Abia State is confronting a growing eye health crisis, with new data revealing that the rate of preventable blindness in the state exceeds Nigeria’s national average, a troubling indicator of systemic failures in accessible, quality eye care.
Speaking during the 2025 World Sight Day commemoration in Umuahia, Dr. Betty Emeka-Obasi, Administrator of the Abia State Eye Health Management Bureau, painted a stark picture of the region’s visual health.
“In rural communities, only 15 percent of residents undergo eye screenings annually. That means we’re missing early signs of blindness in 85 percent of the population,” she warned.
Preventable yet rising, the blindness epidemic in Abia is being driven by late diagnosis, quack practices, and reliance on traditional remedies that often do more harm than good. Women, in particular, are disproportionately affected, facing a 12 percent care gap due to cultural barriers and economic limitations.
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Across Nigeria, the statistics are equally grim. The World Health Organisation estimates that over 1.13 million Nigerians are blind, while more than 4 million live with visual impairment, largely caused by treatable conditions such as cataracts, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and uncorrected refractive errors.
However, the burden is not evenly shared. The South-East zone, including Abia, bears the highest rate of eye disease prevalence in the country, according to the National Blindness and Visual Impairment Survey conducted by the Federal Ministry of Health and the International Centre for Eye Health.
“Abia’s reality is urgent, but not hopeless. We are witnessing a turning point,” Dr. Emeka-Obasi stated.
To address the crisis, the Abia State Government launched the Eye Health Management Bureau under Governor Alex Otti’s administration as part of a broader push to deliver equitable, community-focused healthcare.
In just over a year, the state has made significant strides in eye health reform. It has upgraded the Abia State Specialist Hospital Eye Centre and launched three new clinics in Amachara, Ugwunagbo, and Aba. Services have been expanded in ten primary health centres, with four already fully operational.
During this period, the health system has served 15,110 patients, delivered 11,000 free eye screenings, and performed 2,000 life-changing surgeries, achievements made possible through partnerships with the Association of Nigerian Physicians in the Americas (ANPA), the NNPC Foundation, and the state government.
Emphasizing firmly, Emeka-Obasi reiterated that vision loss doesn’t just blind the eyes, it blinds futures.
“We are training 192 teachers as first responders in schools, launching automatic internships to grow our eye care workforce, and pushing back against rural blindness and gender disparity,” she added while issuing a stark warning about harmful practices.
“Stop using false cures that blind instead of heal. We must reject these dangerous traditions and trust science,” she stated.
After the long talks, free eye screenings, vision tests, reading glasses, and medication at multiple centres across the state were offered as part of a sustained public campaign to embed “Love Your Eyes” into community consciousness.
Abia’s fight against blindness is far from over, but the groundwork has been laid. As avoidable vision loss continues to rob individuals of dignity and opportunity, the path forward demands policy and participation from every corner of society.
