— distributes 1,500 free eyeglasses
The Oyo State Government has reiterated its commitment to strengthening quality eye health, expanding access to essential health services and promoting universal health coverage across the State.
The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi, represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Akintunde Ayinde, stated this on Thursday at the commemoration of the 2026 World Sight Day held at the Ibadan North Local Government Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan.
The 2026 World Sight Day was observed under the theme, “Love Your Eyes.”
Ajetunmobi said the State Government’s commitment to eye health was reflected in the establishment of the Oyo State Eye Health Committee in 2025, aimed at improving coordination, strengthening stakeholder collaboration and promoting the implementation of sustainable eye-health interventions.
She explained that the Oyo State Government, in collaboration with Christian Blind Mission (CBM), Eleta Eye Institute, Al-Basar International Foundation and other development partners, was implementing the SightQuest Nigeria Programme to reduce avoidable blindness and visual impairment across the State.
Ajetunmobi explained that the programme had attracted significant investment in eye health, making essential eye-care services more accessible to underserved populations, particularly rural residents, older persons and other vulnerable groups.
According to her, the government was strengthening the entire continuum of eye care, from community awareness and early diagnosis to treatment, referral and rehabilitation.
“Through the Omituntun Free Health Mission, the State has also continued to bring essential medical services, including eye screening and specialist consultations, closer to underserved communities across our 33 local government areas.
“Furthermore, collaboration with ophthalmologists, ophthalmic nurses, professional associations and development partners has supported community eye screening, health education and access to corrective spectacles.
“These interventions complement the administration’s broader investments in primary healthcare revitalisation, secondary healthcare strengthening and improved access to affordable healthcare services,” she said.
As part of activities marking this year’s World Sight Day, the Commissioner emphasised four key priorities: early detection and prevention; strengthening primary eye care; equitable access and financial protection; and public enlightenment and behavioural change.
She said, “Our aspiration remains an Oyo State where quality eye care is accessible, affordable and available to all. When we protect sight, we preserve opportunities. When we prevent blindness, we restore hope. And when we invest in eye health, we illuminate the future of our society.
“Eye health is often neglected in public health discourse, yet vision plays a central role in education, productivity and quality of life. In Oyo State, we recognise that improving access to affordable and quality eye care is both a health priority and a moral responsibility.”
In his remarks, the Chairman of Ibadan North Local Government, Hon. Oluwaseun Olufade, commended the organisers of the programme, noting that the eyes were indispensable to human life.
He said his administration remained committed to initiatives aimed at improving the welfare and well-being of residents of the local government.
Olufade explained that the council had provided free health insurance programmes for residents, adding that his administration would continue to make healthcare services more accessible to people at the grassroots.
In their separate goodwill messages, the Chairman of the Eye Health Committee and representatives of OSN, NONA, NOA, Lions International , Rotary Club, Eleta Eye Institute, Al-bassar International Foundation, and other stakeholders reaffirmed their organisations’ commitment to supporting humanitarian causes, particularly in the area of vision care.
The event which was put together by the Ministry through the State Eye Health Committee and in collaboration with partners and NGOs also featured a health awareness talk by the Deputy Director of Nursing at the University College Hospital (UCH), Mrs. Grace Ogunrinde, who educated participants on proper eye care and the importance of balanced nutrition and good hygiene in maintaining healthy eyesight.
She urged mothers to be cautious about what they apply to their children’s eyes, advising them to desist from using substances such as breast milk, battery water and other unprescribed substances, as these could cause serious damage to the eyes.
Highlighs of the event also included free eye screening and medical consultations, while 1,500 free eyeglasses were distributed to beneficiaries as part of activities marking the 2026 World Sight Day.
