The Jigawa State government has raised concerns over a sharp rise in blindness cases, warning that a severe shortage of eye care specialists is worsening the crisis.
According to official records, 81,797 cases of eye-related complications were reported in the state in 2024 alone, highlighting a growing public health crisis driven largely by cataracts and a shortage of eye care specialists.
The Acting Chairperson of the Jigawa State Eye Health Committee, Usman Muhammad, said the state is operating with only a fraction of the eye specialists it needs.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting in Dutse on Wednesday, Mr Muhammad described the manpower gap as alarming.
He attributed the worsening crisis to the “brain drain” phenomenon, where medical professionals migrate abroad in search of better opportunities
“In Jigawa, there is only one practicing ophthalmologist employed by the state government. At the two federal institutions, we have three ophthalmologists, meaning that we have a deficit of over 24 ophthalmologists in the state,” he said.
He added that regarding optometrists, the state has only three in the state.
“Unless we have a significant number of eye care specialists, we will not be able to reduce the backlog of eye diseases that cause blindness, especially cataracts, glaucoma, and others,” he said.
The burden of disease
The crisis is particularly acute among rural populations.
Mr Muhammad noted that the state currently lacks a practicing pediatric ophthalmologist and a glaucoma specialist.
“We treat no fewer than 50 patients daily. Out of these, 15 to 20 are typically found to be totally blind,” he said.
He confirmed that cataracts remain the leading cause of blindness, accounting for roughly 50 per cent of cases, a trend consistent with global and regional data.
According to World Health Organisation (WHO) standards, there should be a minimum of four ophthalmologists and 10 optometrists per one million people.
With a population of over seven million, Jigawa requires approximately 28 ophthalmologists and 70 optometrists to provide adequate eye care services across the state.
Barriers beyond manpower
Abalis Dasat, Eye Health Manager at the Health and Development Support Programme (HANDS), said poor access to healthcare facilities, lack of public awareness of preventable eye conditions and the need for facilities to be accessible to persons with disabilities continue to fuel the crisis.
Mr Dasat said the HANDS initiative focuses on strengthening the healthcare system to ensure that even those in difficult-to-reach locations receive care.
Data from the Federal Ministry of Health indicate that 24 million Nigerians live with some form of sight loss, while 1.3 million adults are completely blind.
Experts say 84 per cent of blindness in Nigeria is preventable or treatable, but gaps in awareness, funding and specialist care persist.
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Geographically, the North-west, where Jigawa is located, and the North-east zone experience higher prevalence rates up to 6.1 per cent compared to the South-west, roughly 2.8 per cent, driven by ecological factors and a lack of specialised care.
Cataracts remain the leading cause of avoidable blindness, accounting for 43 to 45 per cent of cases, while glaucoma, often called the “silent thief of sight,” causes about 16.7 per cent and remains the leading cause of irreversible blindness.
