Ophthalmologist reports over two million cases of avoidable blindness in Nigeria
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The Ophthalmological Society of Nigeria (OSN) reported that over two million Nigerians are currently living with avoidable blindness, primarily caused by cataracts. During a briefing ahead of the 51st Annual General Meeting, OSN Vice-President Abubakar Rafindadi stated that the country has failed to reach necessary cataract surgical rates despite improvements in ophthalmic training and technology. While the OSN has expanded primary healthcare integration to 21 states and trained over 2,500 workers, the organization noted that specialists remain unevenly distributed due to insecurity and limited employment opportunities in rural regions.
Consequences
The continued failure to meet surgical demand suggests that a large portion of the population will remain unable to access necessary treatment for preventable vision loss. If the current shortage and maldistribution of eye-care professionals persist, the burden of blindness will likely remain a significant challenge for underserved urban and rural communities.
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