The Federal Government has screened over 1.5 million Nigerians for vision impairment and distributed 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 warned against the use of fake and substandard eyeglasses, urging Nigerians to access eye care services only from government-approved centres.
Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziaq Adekunle Salako, disclosed this while addressing State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa on the implementation of the presidential initiative on Tuesday.
Salako said 1,541,325 Nigerians had been screened for presbyopia, while 1,444,581 free reading glasses were dispensed within 12 months across 16 states, representing a 94 per cent utilisation rate of donated spectacles.
The benefiting states were Bayelsa, Delta, Ekiti, 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 53 per cent were women, reflecting the programme’s contribution to improving access and equity in healthcare.
He said the programme was anchored on the Primary Health Care (PHC) system, with over 800 PHCs empowered to deliver eye care services, including vision screening, counselling, visual acuity measurement, prescription, dispensing of glasses, and referrals.
Salako also said 2,216 PHC workers have been trained in Primary Eye Care, while 811 PHC facilities are now delivering routine eye health services.
Addressing concerns over substandard eyewear, the minister said regulatory agencies such as the Standards Organisation of Nigeria and NAFDAC were enforcing quality control, assuring Nigerians that all eyeglasses provided under Jigibola 2.0 were certified and safe.
He urged the public to patronise only registered centres and appealed to the media to report any unregulated or substandard practices for swift government action.
Speaking on rural access, Salako said the programme was deliberately anchored on the Primary Health Care (PHC) system, noting that government had empowered over 800 PHCs where eye services have been integrated into routine PHC services.
According to him, PHCs can now conduct screening, counselling, measure visual acuity, issue prescriptions where appropriate, and make referrals when necessary.
Salako also addressed the recent industrial action in the health sector, saying health workers had resumed work effective from last Friday, adding that measures were being put in place to sustain industrial harmony.
He said many health workers were back at their duty posts and actively participating in the initiative.
On her part, the Director and National Coordinator of the National Eye, Ear and Sensory Functions Programme (NESHP), Okolo Oteri, said Jigibola 2.0 goes beyond statistics, describing it as a programme that restores dignity, productivity, and inclusion.
Oteri said visual impairment is a silent economic drain, particularly among Nigerians aged 40 to 60, noting that the initiative has enabled artisans, traders, farmers, and skilled workers to return to work with renewed confidence and productivity.
She recalled a field experience where a beneficiary described the glasses as a personal gift from the President, saying the remark captured what the programme represents to ordinary Nigerians.
She also highlighted faith and cultural impact, noting that many beneficiaries celebrate being able to read the Bible or Qur’an independently again.
Oteri further said Jigibola had evolved into a safety net for healthcare delivery, noting that when PHC workers could see clearly, clinical accuracy improves, including in immunisation services, where small measurements have major consequences.
