Kano State Government has urged the Ophthalmological Society of Nigeria (OSN) to prioritise preventive measures against cataracts, describing the condition as one of the leading but avoidable causes of blindness in the country.
The conference, themed “Ophthalmic Education and Training,” brought together experts, policymakers, and new inductees into the society.
According to the governor, Kano has done about 5,000 cataract surgeries in partnership with development partners.
He stressed that the state is ready to expand collaboration with OSN and international organisations to improve eye health and reduce cases of avoidable blindness.
“We are committed to working closely with the Ophthalmological Society and other partners to ensure citizens have better access to quality eye care,” the governor stated.
The Jigawa State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Muhammad Abdullahi Kainuwa, who represented Governor Umar Namadi, also praised OSN’s role in tackling eye-related illnesses.
He highlighted Jigawa’s investment in equipping health facilities and partnering with hospitals and foundations to provide cataract surgeries and corrective glasses for residents.
“Our hospital in Jigawa, Dutse, Hadeija has provisions for eye-related problems. Every year, we commit N200 for cataracts.
So we conduct these surgeries for our people because blindness caused by cataract is avoidable,” he said.
President of OSN, Dr. Abiola Oyeleye, explained that while cataracts are common with ageing, risk factors such as diabetes and misuse of medications are preventable.
He emphasised the need for greater “public awareness and preventive health campaigns to reduce the backlog of cataract cases across the country.”
As part of the anniversary, 48 ophthalmologists were inducted as new members of OSN. Among them, Dr. James Ojile from Benue commended Kano’s hospitality, while Dr. Lateefat Temitope Oshunkoya from Ogun described her induction as “a rewarding end to a challenging journey.”
The conference ended with a renewed commitment from stakeholders to strengthen Ophthalmological education, improve access to eye health services, and work towards eliminating avoidable blindness in Nigeria.
