BY GORDI UDEAJAH
Abia State Health Commissioner professor Enoch Uche has underscored the importance of routine eye examinations, stating that South East region of Nigeria, has the highest Glaucoma prevalence rate.
He spoke during the symposium kick-starting the State 2026 World Glaucoma Week in Umuahia, the state capital, stating that the best time has come for collaborative fight against Glaucoma, which he described as a ‘terrible disease’.
Professor Uche therefore called on every level of the society to be part of the fight against blindness, stressing that the Abia State government led by governor Alex Otti, has established health centers in all Wards across the state, and
tertiary health institutions in all the state three senatorial zones to ensure the health of the state citizenry.
He said that Abia State government has outlawed quackery and couching, and urged the citizenry not to patronize quacks, but the health centers that he said are equipped with drugs and modern health facilities by the governor Otti -led government deliberate health policy.
The Administrator of Abia State Eye Management Bureau ( Bureau ) Dr Betty Emeka- Obasi, who cited illiteracy and quackery as among the major problems against fighting blindness, lamented the unfathomable loss in social and economic implications.
She reported that there were 6,321 confirmed cases of Glaucoma in Abia State in 2024, lauding governor Alex Otti’s foresight by signing an executive order in July 2024, mandating that Abians should not lose their sight.
Stressing that fighting Glaucoma required concerted efforts of government, traditional institutions, professionals and faith based organisations, Dr Emeka-Obasi recalled that the State Eye Management Bureau , did 13,500 free eye screenings, and performed over 2,000 sight- restoring surgeries, among
others.
Chairman of the State 2026 World Glaucoma Week Symposium, Dr Abali Chuku, an Ophthalmologist and former Medical Director of the Federal Medical Center, FMC, Umuahia, Abia state, gave the global Glaucoma prevalence rate as 4.03, lamenting unfortunately, that 94% of the victims do not know of having it, until it becomes irreversible, adding that about 80 million people have glaucoma.
He therefore called for what he called aggressive management approach through health education and early diagnosis and treatment, and applauded the Abia State government efforts in health care delivery.
In the keynote address , Professor Bernardine Nsa Ekpeyong, a professor of public health Epidemiology, at the University of Calabar, recommended for early diagnosis and treatment, opining that doing so, is the surest way to prevent glaucoma which blindness caused by it ( Glaucoma ) is irreversible.
She described Glaucoma, as a silent ‘ Sight Thief ‘ warning against patronizing quacks and use of traditional medicine, hence according to her, ” the risk factor include age , family history, diabetes, cultural beliefs, among others, corroborating the prescription for regular eye check and use of prescribed medicines, including Eye Drops.
