By Ibrahim Muhammad
The Jigawa State Government, in collaboration with HANDS has intensified efforts to improve eye care services across the state through a comprehensive and inclusive eye health project targeting 53,920 direct beneficiaries and an estimated 3.9 million indirect beneficiaries.
HANDS state program Officer, Yusif Lawan disclosed this at a one day workshop on the role of media in a Comprehensive and Inclusive Eye Health Project-BMZ, held in Dutse, the state capital.
He said the project funded by BMZ is aimed at improving eye health inclusive with special recognition on child and vulnerable groups.
He explained that, the initiative, which is being implemented across the 27 local government areas of the state, is designed to strengthen early detection, treatment, and prevention of eye diseases, particularly among vulnerable populations.
As part of the programme, journalists in the state have been enlisted as key partners in a renewed campaign
He seeks for media support in raising awareness on eye health and prevention of avoidable blindness through sustained public education and community engagement.
According to him” the call comes after the German Government has approved a 13-month extension of the Comprehensive and Inclusive Eye Health Project in Jigawa State, extending its implementation to May 2027 following reported progress in service delivery and public sensitisation”
“The programme has also expanded child-focused services, with the inclusion of pediatric ophthalmology to cater for children with eye disorders, while 540 Primary Health Care facilities have been integrated into a strengthened referral system to improve early diagnosis and treatment”
“To ensure inclusivity, the state has upgraded eye clinics in five emirate general hospitals with disability-friendly infrastructure, including ramps, accessible entrances, and improved sanitation facilities”
He said, the project has also subsidised cataract surgeries and committed funding for 1,000 operations annually in supported hospitals to reduce avoidable blindness among low-income residents.
Mr. Lawan said, the project has trained more than 500 primary healthcare workers in eye care delivery, while a mass awareness campaign using radio jingles, talk shows, SMS broadcasts, and community outreach has reached millions of residents across the state.
Speaking the chairman Jigawa State eye health committee Dr Usman Abdullahi Hadejia who is represented by Dr Abubakar Abdullahi Guri explained that, the project has procured facilities worth billions of Naira and distributed in five secondary health facilities in the state.
Including; Dutse general hospital, Hadejia general hospital, Gumel general hospital, Ringim general hospital and Kazaure general hospital and Rasheed Shakoni Teaching Hospital.
He assured the state Government commitment to ensure proper utilisation of the equipments for effective service delivery.
