My people, e be like say FG don shine light for we eyes o! The Effective Spectacle Coverage Initiative, wey dem dey call Jigi Bola 2.0, don give free reading glasses to over 1.4 million Nigerians in just one year. No be small thing, as dem don screen more than 1.5 million people wey dey age 40 and above for sight issue across 16 states!
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Adekunle Salako, come talk this one for Abuja when him dey gist journalists. Him talk say this initiative na part of the presidential plan wey dey aim to distribute 5 million free eyeglasses to Nigerians wey need am. Na serious matter wey fit change plenty lives!
For the breakdown, na 1,541,325 people dem don screen so far, and dem dey carry this initiative go states like Bayelsa, Lagos, Ekiti, Ogun, and plenty others. The programme no just dey help people see better, e self dey take care of gender issue, as 53% of the beneficiaries na women. Wetin you fit talk about that?
Salako come drop another gist wey go make you smile – 65% of di people wey collect glass na dem first time wey dem dey wear eyeglasses! If you ask any mechanic, farmer, or even pharmacist, dem go don notice say e change their hustle for beta!
For where dem dey train health workers, 2,216 Primary Healthcare (PHC) workers don receive training to fit provide eye care services. Dem also activate 811 PHC centres to dey dish out basic eye services. Na so we fit jump gender gap and make everybody see better!
Dem also set up three vision centres wey go dey provide glasses for subsidized rates. Dem dey for Alimosho in Lagos, Ijebu-Ode in Ogun, and Idanre for Ondo. With this, e mean say people no go dey suffer to get correct eye care.
Salako reveal say, through live digital dashboard wey dem deploy, dem dey track how many people don receive glasses, and wetin dey happen with the screening. This one go help dem keep everything in check and make sure everybody sabi wetin dey happen.
With plenty funding support from Livelihood Impact Fund and other philanthropists, FG don plan how dem go supply one million pairs of glasses for 2026. And no worry, dem dey ensure say all eyeglasses wey dem dey give na quality materials wey fit help people see well.
Next year, dem don plan to stretch the initiative go new states like Rivers, Enugu, Oyo, and Edo. E go beta for all the citizens wey need say na God dey shine light on dem! The programme no just dey help people sabi road better; e dey restore dignity and economic opportunity for our people.
Abeg, if you get eye wahala, try check your nearest PHC, and make you no forget to enjoy the free glasses wey dem don provide. Because this Jigi Bola 2.0 no be only government work; na we all go benefit from am!
Do you have a news tip for NNN? Please email us at editor @ nnn.ng

