Shortage of Specialists Spikes Jigawa Eye Care Crisis

Shortage of Specialists Spikes Jigawa Eye Care Crisis

The unfolding eye care crisis in Jigawa State is a sobering reminder of how fragile health systems can be when specialist manpower is lacking.

With a population exceeding eight million, the state is currently served by only four ophthalmologists, an alarming figure that falls drastically short of the World Health Organisation’s recommendation of at least four ophthalmologists and ten optometrists per million people.

This shortage has left millions vulnerable to avoidable blindness, particularly from conditions such as cataracts, glaucoma, and uncorrected refractive errors.

The situation is compounded by the absence of a single glaucoma specialist in Jigawa, despite glaucoma being one of the leading causes of blindness. Specialist services remain concentrated in major towns and tertiary facilities, leaving rural and hard-to-reach communities dependent on occasional outreach programmes rather than consistent care.

This uneven distribution of services underscores a systemic inequity that places the poorest and most isolated residents at the greatest risk.

Nationally, Nigeria faces a similar crisis, with only 4.4 percent of citizens accessing eye care services and more than 4.25 million people already blind or visually impaired, mostly from preventable causes.

Jigawa’s predicament is therefore emblematic of a broader national challenge, where overstretched manpower and inadequate investment in specialist training have left millions without the care they need.

Efforts are being made to bridge the gap. The Inclusive Eye Health Project has trained 540 primary eye care providers across Jigawa’s 27 local government areas, supported by 90 community health ambassadors.

These initiatives, alongside free surgeries and screenings, have brought some relief. Yet, experts warn that without urgent investment in specialist doctors, these measures will remain stopgaps rather than sustainable solutions.

The crisis in Jigawa is not merely a health issue; it is a social and economic one. Preventable blindness deepens poverty, reduces productivity, and erodes quality of life. Expanding access to early diagnosis and treatment, particularly for cataracts and glaucoma, is essential not only to save sight but also to preserve livelihoods.

This editorial calls for a renewed commitment from government and stakeholders to prioritize specialist training, equitable distribution of services, and sustained investment in eye health infrastructure.

Jigawa’s crisis is a wake-up call: without decisive action, millions across Nigeria will continue to face the darkness of avoidable blindness.