The House of Representatives is advocating for the establishment of a Federal Institute for Vision and Optical Research in each of Nigeria’s six geo-political zones, according to Victor Obuzor, the lawmaker representing Ahoada West/Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Federal Constituency in Rivers State.
The Peoples Democratic Party lawmaker said this in Abuja on Tuesday in a chat with journalists at the National Assembly Complex.
Obuzor, who sponsored the bill on the establishment of a Federal Institute for Vision and Optical Research, Rivers State, said the quest for more of such institutes derives from the support for the proposed law during and after the public hearing recently held at the National Assembly, Abuja.
“The House is delighted with the bill, and has asked that the institute, since it’s one of its kind, should be replicated in the six geo-political zones”, he said.
Describing the establishment of the proposed institute as an urgent necessity, he said, “As guardians of public health, we must address the escalating prevalence of vision impairment, particularly in underserved communities”, stressing that given that an estimated 50 million Nigerians are currently battling one form of visual disability or the other and over seven million already blind; the need for decisive action has never been more pressing.
“The proposed institute represents a crucial step towards mitigating this growing public health challenge and ensuring a brighter future for our citizens.”
Obuzor had in an earlier remark stated, “Vision disorders are reaching epidemic proportions in Nigeria, exacerbated by limited access to ophthalmic care, particularly in rural locales,” adding that projections by the World Health Organisation were that the current figure may double by 2050 without the right interventions.
On the proposed bill to establish the Federal College of Optometry to provide for courses leading to award of designated Degrees, Diplomas and Certificates in Optometry and related courses, which he also sponsored, Obuzor said the desires of any government is to have a population of healthy citizens.
“This is why governments all over the world, including Nigeria, continue to fund health-related and infrastructure as well as basic health and eye care services to ensure that health sector objectives are actualised.
“The impact of optometric care is growing worldwide and countries have devoted huge resources towards the development of infrastructure and human capital to ensure that this vital organ of the human body is given its pride of place, because without the eyes, life and living would be difficult”, he stated.
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, had during the hearing assured that the bills, if considered and passed into law, “Will address the current low-level scientific research and development in vision healthcare and ensure a phenomenal increase in the number of qualified professional manpower and the establishment of more specialised eye care facilities across the country.”
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