President Bola Tinubu has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to expanding access to affordable eye care services nationwide.
 
The President has announced the expansion of JigiBola 2.0 to eight additional states, Edo, Enugu, Nasarawa, Ogun, Osun, Oyo, Rivers, and Taraba, in a major step toward scaling access to affordable eye health services.
 
Speaking at the launch of the second phase of the Effective Spectacle Coverage Initiative Nigeria JigiBola 2.0 on Tuesday in Abuja, the President, who was represented by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mr Temitope Ajayi, noted that a huge success has been recorded under the first phase of the programme over the past two years, adding that more than 1.4 million Nigerians have had their visions restored.
 
He pledged continued institutional support for the JigiBola 2.0 Initiative as it scales up operations nationwide.
 
He said: “1.4 million people represent people whose hopes have been restored, whose livelihoods were positively impacted. They are people who probably could not read very well before now but can read well today and access their businesses more effectively.
 
“The President is happy, and he has said that he will continue to support this initiative. Whatever institutional support you require at any point in time, we are always available, and we will always be here to cheer you on.”
 
He commended the National Coordinator of the National Eye, Ear and Sensory Functions Health Programme (NESHP), Dr Oteri Okolo, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, and partners, including Livelihood Impact Fund, Access Initiative, and other implementing stakeholders, for sustaining the initiative.