President Bola Tinubu has approved a partnership between the national eye health program of the Federal Ministry of Health and the Peek Vision Foundation. This partnership aims to provide over five million pairs of eyeglasses to Nigerians who suffer from visual impairments.
Tinubu disclosed this development during a visit to Abuja on Friday, where he received Andrew Bastawrous, the CEO of the foundation and co-founder of the Vision Catalyst Fund. The President’s personal connection to eye health motivated his support for this initiative.
He shared a touching story about how his mother’s vision was restored after she received a pair of glasses. Her concern for others facing similar challenges without support inspired Tinubu to promise her that he would actively pursue widespread eye care, offering free eye screenings and surgeries.
Tinubu noted that this commitment had already positively impacted the eye health of countless individuals in Lagos, bringing joy through immediate improvements in their sight with the provision of glasses. He expressed his wholehearted support for this initiative and vowed to encourage further efforts to ensure its success, especially in reaching vulnerable populations across Nigeria.
Bastawrous also shared his personal journey, highlighting the role of vision care in enabling him to achieve academic and professional success. He emphasized the chronic underfunding of eye care in many countries, including Nigeria, where a minuscule portion of the health budget is allocated to eye health.
Bastawrous offered the Peek Vision methodology and platform to Nigeria to help secure resources from various sources. He cited successful experiences in other countries, where Peek Vision initiatives led to significant financial support for eye care programs.
Through the Vision Catalyst Fund, they have secured a substantial donation of 200 million pairs of glasses and expressed their desire to allocate a substantial portion of these to Nigeria.
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