The House of Representatives has passed through second reading, a bill seeking to create more specialised eye care centres across the nation’s geopolitical zones.
The bill, sponsored by the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, Rep. Babajimi Benson and five others, seeks to amend the National Eye Centre Act, 2004, to establish more specialist eye care centres to facilitate increased access to specialised eye care against major eye diseases.
Presenting the lead debate on the general principles of the bill, the deputy speaker said, the main objective of the proposed amendments was to establish additional eye care centres to address the rising cases of eye diseases in the country.
He said that preventable and treatable eye conditions like cataracts, glaucoma and refractive errors are a leading cause of blindness and other eye conditions in Nigeria, especially in the rural areas where access to specialised care is limited.
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Kalu said, “As we are all aware, access to quality healthcare services, especially in specialised areas like eye care, is crucial for the well-being of our citizens. The statistics reveal that preventable and treatable eye conditions are a leading cause of disability in Nigeria, with cataracts, glaucoma and refractive errors remaining prevalent in many parts of the country, especially the rural areas where access to specialised care is limited.
“Unfortunately, the existing National Eye Centre in Kaduna, though commendable in its efforts, is unable to adequately meet the eye care needs of our vast and diverse nation. This inadequacy has led to disparities in access to eye care services, particularly for those in remote or underserved areas.
“The proposed amendments, thus aim to rectify this situation by expanding the establishment of National Eye Centres to strategic locations across the six geopolitical zones of the country. By doing so, we aim to provide a framework that will enhance and improve access to quality eye care, ensuring that no Nigerian is left behind due to geographical barriers.
“We hope to ensure that every Nigerian, regardless of location, can access quality eye care services. This is not just a matter of healthcare; it is a matter of equity and social justice. This bill which seeks to enhance and improve access to quality eye care in Nigeria has the following key provisions.
“The creation of five additional Specialist Eye Care Centres spread across the remaining five geopolitical zones of Nigeria not originally covered by the principal legislation which only provided for an Eye Care Centre in Kaduna, North West Nigeria.
“The establishment of separate boards to govern each centre and academic committees to oversee academic affairs. These bodies will not only ensure effective management and coordination of the centres’ activities by overseeing their day-to-day operations, but shall also drive research and educational initiatives in ophthalmology, thereby fostering a culture of excellence and innovation in eye care.
“In presenting this bill, we are reaffirming our commitment to the visual health and well-being of every Nigerian. By establishing additional centres, we can decentralise eye care services, reduce travel costs for patients, and ultimately protect and preserve the precious gift of sight for all citizens”.
After the presentation of the lead debate, the Speaker, Abbas Tajudeen put a voice vote for the passage of the bill for second reading, passed and referred it to the committee on speciality healthcare.
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