Nigeria sets its sights on 25,000 free cataract surgeries by end of 2027

Nigeria's federal government has set a target of 25,000 free cataract surgeries by the end of 2027 under the Renewed Hope Health Connect initiative, announced by the Minister of State for Health at the World Sight Day commemoration in Abuja. The groundwork is already showing: more than 3,000 health workers trained across 16 states, over 1,400 primary healthcare centers activated for primary eye care, 1.5 million pairs of reading spectacles distributed, and 1.5 million school-age children screened for visual problems. Four new vision centers are being built in Enugu, Edo, Sokoto, and Nasarawa, and Nigeria is co-hosting the first Global Summit for Eye Health on November 2.