World Sight Day: Delta Targets Avoidable Blindness With 232 Trained Health Workers
By PAULINA NZERUBE
A Wider Frontline Response
THE Delta State Government has expanded its eye-health intervention by training more than 232 Primary Health Care workers across 75 centres to deliver basic eye-care services.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr Joseph Onojaeme, announced the development in a statewide address marking the 2026 World Sight Day.
With the theme, “Love Your Eyes… Every Story Counts!”, this year’s observance places emphasis on protecting vision, detecting eye problems early and treating avoidable causes of visual impairment.
It also seeks to dispel misconceptions and reduce the stigma sometimes associated with eye diseases and spectacles.
Taking Eye Care Closer to Communities
Through the Jigibola 2.0 Programme, the Delta Government is collaborating with the National Eye, Ear and Other Sensory Functions Programme of the Federal Ministry of Health and other partners to strengthen basic eye-care delivery.
Onojaeme said the training would enable PHC workers to recognise eye problems early and refer patients to appropriate facilities when specialised intervention becomes necessary.
That strategy could improve access by making basic eye-health screening available closer to where residents live, particularly for people who may face difficulties reaching specialist hospitals.
More Facilities Offer Eye Services
The state has expanded the network of facilities providing eye-care services.
Residents can access services at Asaba Specialist Hospital and Delta State University Teaching Hospital in Oghara.
Central Hospitals in Warri, Agbor, Ughelli and Sapele also provide eye-care services, alongside General Hospitals in Okwe and Ogwashi-Uku.
Furthermore, the government recently upgraded the Eye Clinic at General Hospital, Ibusa.
The recruitment of dispensing opticians into the state health workforce is also expected to strengthen specialised vision-care services.
Free Glasses & Cataract Surgeries
Government efforts have received support from health partners.
Onojaeme said the Clinton Health Access Initiative had supplied free reading glasses, while the Vision Care for Development Foundation had supported more than 500 free cataract surgeries since April 2026.
The cataract intervention forms part of a 10-year partnership between the foundation and the Ministry of Health.
Awareness Campaign Goes Statewide
The commissioner said the government would combine service delivery with aggressive public enlightenment.
Road walks, media programmes and other awareness activities are scheduled across Delta’s three senatorial districts.
Through the campaign, the government hopes to encourage residents to seek professional attention at the first sign of an eye problem.
Such early presentation, the commissioner noted, can make a significant difference in preventing avoidable vision loss.
Warning Against Unprescribed Treatment
Onojaeme, meanwhile, urged residents to avoid self-medication and unverified remedies for eye conditions.
He specifically warned against using herbs, traditional preparations and other unprescribed substances on the eyes.
According to him, inappropriate treatment can worsen an eye condition and, in some cases, cause irreversible damage to vision.
“To every Deltan, my message is simple: Love your eyes, protect your sight and seek help early,” he said.
“Whenever you experience an eye problem, please visit the nearest government hospital or a qualified eye-care professional.”
Shared Responsibility for Eye Health
The commissioner praised ophthalmologists, optometrists, ophthalmic nurses, dispensing opticians and other health workers for sustaining eye-care services across the state.
He also reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to accessible, affordable and quality healthcare.
Ultimately, Onojaeme urged residents to make eye health a collective responsibility. He stressed that regular attention, early diagnosis and timely treatment remained important tools for preventing unnecessary loss of sight.
