The David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences (DUFUHS), Uburu, has provided free eye treatment to 2,412 patients and distributed 1,000 eyeglasses under its Free Eye Care Initiative and Eye Research Programme within the last seven months.
Vice Chancellor of DUFUHS, Prof. Jesse Uneke, disclosed this on Friday during a press engagement at the institution’s Ultramodern Eye Centre and Institute for Eye Health and Visual Sciences Research (IEHVSR).
Uneke explained that the programme is part of DUFUHS’s mandate on research, training, and community service, aimed at tackling Nigeria’s rising burden of visual impairment and blindness, which affects an estimated 24 million people nationwide.
“Our Free Eye Care Initiative has drastically reduced avoidable blindness while offering opportunities for training, research, and patient care,” Uneke said.
“From February to date, we have treated 2,412 persons — 1,352 for refractive errors, 627 for cataracts, 168 for glaucoma, and 265 for other conditions. We also distributed 400 reading glasses and 600 prescription glasses free of charge.”
He highlighted that the facility, supported by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), is equipped with a multidisciplinary team of ophthalmologists, optometrists, nurses, biomedical engineers, and ICT experts working to expand access to quality eye care, particularly for rural dwellers in Ebonyi State and neighbouring communities.
Prof. Uneke noted that 84% of blindness cases in Nigeria are preventable, calling for regular eye examinations, increased public awareness, and affordable treatment solutions.
He further stated that the centre’s efforts are in line with the World Health Organization’s SPECS 2030 initiative, which seeks to expand access to affordable refractive error services worldwide.
The VC assured that DUFUHS would continue strengthening its training, research, and community health programmes in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, with the ultimate goal of reducing medical and educational tourism out of Nigeria.
