By Joyce Onuora, Abakaliki
The David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences (DUFUHS), Uburu, has offered free eye treatment to 2,412 patients within seven months through its Free Eye Care Initiative and Eye Research Programme.
The university also distributed 1,000 eyeglasses to patients at no cost.
The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Jesse Uneke , announced this on Thursday, while Speaking at a press and media engagement held at the institution’s Ultramodern Eye Centre and Institute for Eye Health and Visual Sciences Research (IEHVSR), He said the programme was part of DUFUHS’s mandate on research, training, and community development.
According to him, the facility, supported by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), was established to address Nigeria’s rising burden of visual impairment and blindness, which currently affects an estimated 24 million people.
“Our Free Eye Care Initiative has drastically reduced avoidable blindness and provided an opportunity for training, research, and patient care. From February to date, we have treated 2,412 persons—1,352 for refractive errors, 627 for cataracts, 168 for glaucoma, and 265 for other conditions. We also gave out 400 reading glasses and 600 prescription glasses free of charge,” Uneke stated.
He emphasized that the DUFUHS Eye Centre operates with a multidisciplinary team of ophthalmologists, optometrists, nurses, biomedical engineers, and ICT experts working to improve access to eye care, especially for rural dwellers in Ebonyi State and beyond.
The Vice Chancellor noted that 84% of blindness in Nigeria is due to preventable causes, stressing the need for regular eye checks, public awareness, and affordable treatment.
He added that the Centre aligns with the World Health Organization’s SPECS 2030 initiative, which seeks to expand access to quality, affordable refractive error services globally.
The DUFUHS Eye Centre’s primary objectives, he explained, include enhancing accessibility to eye services in rural communities, increasing awareness of regular eye examinations, providing affordable solutions for the less privileged, and developing sustainable long-term strategies for vision care.
Prof. Uneke assured that the university would continue to strengthen its training, research, and community health programmes in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, with the ultimate aim of reversing both medical and educational tourism.
