Saudi sponsors free eye services for thousands in Lagos

Saudi Arabia, through the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief), has provided essential eye care services to over 4,000 residents of Lagos state under its “Saudi Noor” ophthalmic volunteer programme.

The intervention, held at Gbagada General Hospital, provided a wide range of eye care services including screenings, cataract surgeries with intraocular lens (IOL) implants, treatment of refractive errors, and distribution of prescription eyeglasses.

Speaking on Thursday, Mohammed Alsahabi, Saudi Press Attaché in Nigeria, said the outreach is part of the country’s global mission to support underserved communities with critical healthcare services.

“The initiative is a significant step in the kingdom’s ongoing support for preventive eye care in Nigeria,” Alsahabi said.

He noted that the programme was implemented under the directives of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques — King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

“It forms core component of KSrelief’s broader mandate to provide relief to communities facing healthcare challenges,” he added.

Since the launch of the blindness prevention campaign in Nigeria in 2019, KSrelief has conducted over 218,000 eye examinations nationwide, enabling more than 21,000 people to regain their sight through surgery and distributing over 45,000 eyeglasses.

“KSrelief’s efforts in Lagos signifies growing recognition of the urban-rural healthcare divide and the need to address eye health challenges even within densely populated city centres,” Alsahabi said.

“Gbagada General Hospital, a major referral facility in Lagos, now becomes a vital hub for this life-changing outreach.

“With this latest effort in Lagos, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia reinforces its relationship with Nigeria, dedication to humanitarian health missions and its solidarity with Nigeria’s efforts to combat preventable blindness.”

The initiative had earlier been implemented in Yobe, Kano, and Bauchi states, where it brought similar relief to thousands in northern Nigeria.