President Bola Tinubu has given the green light for an impactful partnership between the Federal Ministry of Health’s national eye health program and the Peek Vision Foundation. This collaborative effort aims to provide over five million pairs of eyeglasses to Nigerians grappling with sight impairments.
The announcement came to light during a visit to Abuja by Andrew Bastawrous, CEO of the Peek Vision Foundation and co-founder of the Vision Catalyst Fund. President Tinubu expressed his enthusiasm for the initiative, driven by his personal connection to eye health.
During the visit, President Tinubu recounted a heartwarming personal anecdote, revealing how his mother’s vision was restored with a pair of glasses. He shared how her question about those less fortunate moved him deeply. “So I made a promise to her that I will pursue the mass provision of eye care vigorously and that I will provide free eye screening and surgeries to people because of that question my mother asked me and because of her passion to see others healed,” President Tinubu stated.
Reflecting on his commitment, he added, “I am in support of this initiative, and I will encourage the mobilization of further commitment to see this through and to reach vulnerable people all across our country.”
Bastawrous also emphasized the importance of eye care, particularly in countries where it remains under-resourced. He noted that Nigeria allocates just 0.0002 percent of its health budget to eye health. However, he brought promising news of the potential impact of the partnership, citing success stories from other nations where Peek Vision has unlocked substantial resources for vision care programs.
Through the Vision Catalyst Fund, Bastawrous mentioned that a remarkable 200 million pairs of glasses had been secured for donation, with a substantial portion earmarked for Nigeria. The partnership between the Federal Ministry of Health and the Peek Vision Foundation is poised to make a significant difference in the lives of countless Nigerians by addressing the pressing issue of sight impairments.