THE Federal Government has screened more than 1.5 million Nigerians for vision impairment and distributed about 1.4 million free reading glasses nationwide within one year under the Effective Spectacle Coverage Initiative Nigeria (ESCIN), also known as Jigibola 2.0.

It also cautioned citizens against the use of fake and substandard eyeglasses, urging the public to access eyecare services only through government-approved centres.

Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziaq Adekunle Salako, disclosed this yesterday while briefing State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on the progress of the presidential initiative.

Salako said 1,541,325 Nigerians had been screened for presbyopia, while 1,444,581 free reading glasses were dispensed across 16 states within 12 months, representing a 94 per cent utilisation rate of donated spectacles.

The benefiting states include Bayelsa, Delta, Ekiti, the FCT, Gombe, Imo, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Lagos, Plateau, Ogun, Kwara, Benue, Sokoto and Jigawa.

According to him, 65 per cent of beneficiaries received their first-ever pair of glasses, while women accounted for 53 per cent of recipients, reflecting improved equity and access in healthcare delivery.

He explained that the programme is anchored on the Primary Health Care (PHC) system, with more than 800 PHCs empowered to deliver integrated eyecare services, including vision screening, counselling, visual acuity measurement, prescription, dispensing of glasses and referrals.

Salako added that 2,216 PHC workers had been trained in primary eye care, while 811 PHC facilities are now providing routine eye-health services nationwide.

Addressing concerns over substandard eyewear, the minister said regulatory agencies such as the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) were enforcing quality control, assuring Nigerians that all glasses distributed under Jigibola 2.0 are certified and safe.

On her part, Director and National Coordinator of the National Eye, Ear and Sensory Functions Programme (NESHP), Dr. Okolo Oteri, described Jigibola 2.0 as “a programme that goes beyond statistics to restore dignity, productivity and inclusion.”

Also speaking, Executive Director of the Livelihood Impact Fund, Abigail Steinberg, said the fund was “overjoyed” to celebrate the progress of Jigibola 2.0, describing it as an initiative whose impact has been widely recognised.