Bauchi inaugurates SightQuest programme to tackle preventable blindness

The Al-Basar International Foundation (BIF) has reaffirmed its commitment to eliminating preventable blindness and expanding access to affordable eye care services in Bauchi State through the launch of the SightQuest Nigeria Bauchi Programme.

The initiative was unveiled with support from Christoffel Blind Mission (CBM) during an official ceremony attended by officials of the state Ministry of Health, community leaders, civil society organisations, journalists and representatives of vulnerable groups.

Speaking at the event, the Regional Director of BIF, Dr Moheildin Abdallah, appreciated the state government and stakeholders for the opportunity to partner in improving eye health services in the state.

He described the programme as a major step toward strengthening collaboration in the health sector and reducing the burden of avoidable blindness.

Abdallah explained that the foundation began outreach activities in Bauchi in 1999 and later established a specialised eye hospital in the state in 2009 to provide comprehensive eye care services.

He noted that the foundation, established in 1989, was a non-governmental organisation dedicated to preventing and treating blindness, particularly in developing countries across Africa and Asia.

According to him, its regional office in Nigeria was established in 2004, although its interventions in the country date back to 1994 through mobile eye care services.

“Our vision is to create a world free from preventable blindness where people can access affordable and sustainable eye care,” he said.

Also speaking, the Country Programme Manager of CBM, Mr Micheal Idah, said the organisation was founded more than a century ago by Christopher Blindenmission and had operated in Nigeria since 1968.

He said CBM was an international Christian development organisation focused on improving the quality of life of persons with disabilities, particularly in poor and underserved communities.

According to him, the organisation works through three major thematic areas: Community-Based Inclusive Development, Inclusive Humanitarian Action and Inclusive Health Action.

Idah added that CBM currently implements programmes in 21 states across Nigeria aimed at preventing disabilities and supporting persons living with disabilities.

Regional Advisor of CBM, Dr Kolawale Ogundimu, highlighted the “Fight for Vision Quest 2035,” a 10-year programme designed to significantly reduce avoidable blindness.

He explained that the initiative aimed to improve access to cataract surgery and vision care, targeting a 30-percentage-point increase in effective cataract surgical coverage by 2035.

Ogundimu disclosed that Bauchi would be the first beneficiary state under the programme.

He said the project planned to conduct more than 20,000 cataract surgeries within five years, provide more than 60,000 pairs of spectacles and screen about 600,000 people for eye conditions.

Inaugurating the programme, the Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed, represented by the Commissioner for Health, Dr Sani Mohammed, described the initiative as a landmark intervention.

He commended partners including Christoffel Blind Mission, Al-Basar International Foundation, World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF for supporting the government’s efforts to strengthen healthcare delivery.

The governor said the state government had prioritised the health sector since assuming office, including declaring a state of emergency in the sector, allocating more than 15 per cent of the state budget to health and recruiting more than 3,000 healthcare workers.

He expressed optimism that the partnership would expand access to quality eye care services and improve the well-being of residents across the state.