Loveworld Medicaid provides free eye care to 18,000 people

Loveworld Medicaid, a member agency of the Chris Oyakhilome Foundation International, says no fewer than 18,000 people with vision problems have received comprehensive free treatment and improved vision.

Loveworld Medicaid Deputy Director, Dr. Olajumoke Ola-Akisanya, made this known during a press conference to commemorate World Sight Day and mark one year of the Loveworld Medicaid Vision 10,000 Free Eye Surgeries initiative.

Dr Ola-Akisanya said the initiative, which began in May 2024, was targeted at indigent and underprivileged communities, to provide free eye care services, including screening, medical check-ups, surgeries and provision of free glasses to beneficiaries across the country and beyond.

He said the program has restored sight and significantly contributed to improving vision for people across Africa and Asia, brightening lives and communities.

Ola-Akisanya said 725 free corrective eye surgeries were successfully performed, while 8,507 eyeglasses were distributed.

It said 8,069 people have been provided with essential eye medications to manage their conditions effectively.

“Thousands of diagnostic screenings and consultations have been carried out in various communities such as Olusosun, Ibeju-Lekki, Isolo, Abule-Egba, Waru, Isheri, Tombia Kingdom, Oko, Erediauwa, Warri and even in Mumbai India.

“Some of the beneficiaries are known to travel interstate just to attend these interventions due to the burden of their ill health and their great desire for relief and treatment,” the deputy director said.

He described the Vision 10,000 Free Eye Surgeries Initiative as a bold step towards eliminating avoidable blindness and ensuring no one is left in the dark because they can’t afford treatment.

According to her, the vision impairment crisis remains a significant global health challenge, as 1.1 billion people worldwide live with vision loss.

He said that in Nigeria alone, more than 24 million people suffer from varying degrees of visual impairment, of which 1.3 million are completely blind.

Ola-Akisanya expressed the profound significance of the surgery, stressing that “Every sight restored is a story of hope rekindled.”

“We have seen the joy of children who once struggled in school finally being able to read clearly. These stories reflect the ripple effect of the initiative: better health outcomes and greater accessibility to life-changing care,” she said.

Ola-Akisanya expressed gratitude to the Chris Oyakhilome Foundation and other partners for their investment and support in the project.

In his remarks, Clinical Director of Loveworld Medical Centre, Emeka Eze, described the initiative as heartwarming and transformative.

Eze said urgent intervention was needed from affluent Nigerians to support those who cannot access medical care, stressing that in many cases only minimal intervention was needed.

“The bottom line is that some people can’t afford even simple surgeries. Loveworld Medicaid’s intervention is about more than surgeries; it’s about access to care. Many people can’t access care, even when it’s available.

“Blindness is not always caused by cataracts; sometimes it is due to infections, such as those caused by worms in the riverine areas of Nigeria. It could also be trauma, but many causes are treatable,” he said.

One of the beneficiaries, Elizabeth Solomon, blind for ten years, recovered her sight after undergoing surgery.

“Now I can engage with my children and live without fear. I am grateful to Loveworld Medicaid and sponsors,” Solomon said.