Muideen Olaniyi
6 October 2008
A national survey conducted by the Federal Ministry of Health has revealed that more than one million Nigerians are blind and another 3.1 million are visually impaired. This was contained in a statement yesterday by the Coalition for the Prevention of Blindness in Nigeria (CPBN).
The two year survey which was conducted between 2005 and 2007 also revealed that at least 75 percent of such blindness is avoidable.
The research further showed that the scourge of blindness is a problem afflicting male and female as well as all parts of the country.
The survey revealed that the highest number of blind Nigerians is in the North West geo-political zone of the country with a population of 0.32 million blind people.
The North East with 0.22 million came second while North Central with 0.18 million is third. South West has 0.15 million blind people. The South East has 0.12million while the South South has a total of 0.12million.
Besides, the research showed that there is no significant difference between the prevalence of blindness among men and women.
While concluding that there is not necessarily better eye care facility in the urban centres than the rural areas, the survey discovered that there is also no significant difference in theprevalence of blindness between urban and rural communities in the country.
The major causes of blindness identified through the survey included muscular degeneration, reflective errors, cataract which is responsible for 50 percent of blindness, and glaucoma that accounts for another 16 percent.
According to the National Committee for the Prevention of Blindness in Nigeria, about 50 percent of Nigerians suffering from eye ailment will have their sight fully restored by the use of glasses while another 15 percent will have their sight restored by surgery.
Towards tackling this trend, non-governmental organisations the Federal Ministry of Health and other major stakeholders in eye health care delivery are to collaborate for a massive sensitization programme on eye care during this year's World Sight Day which holds on Thursday, October 9.
Working under the auspices of National Programme for the Prevention of Blindness, the coalition is targeted at sanitizing Nigerians on the scourge of blindness.
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