The Plateau State Government says it is strengthening eye care services and working to reduce avoidable blindness as the state joins activities marking the 2026 World Sight Day on October 8.
The Plateau State Government has renewed its commitment to reducing avoidable blindness and expanding access to quality eye care services across the state.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr Nicholas Ba’amlong, stated this in a message to mark the 2026 World Sight Day, being commemorated on October 8 under the theme, “Love Your Eyes.”
Ba’amlong said the theme was a powerful reminder that good vision was essential to learning, working, communicating, moving around safely and enjoying life, urging residents to take practical steps to protect their sight.
“Loving our eyes therefore means taking practical steps to protect our vision and seeking appropriate eye care whenever the need arises,” he said.
The Commissioner noted that eye health was closely connected to education, employment, productivity, independence and quality of life, stressing that untreated vision problems could have serious consequences for individuals and families.
He explained that a child who could not see the board clearly might struggle to learn, while farmers and other workers with impaired vision could face difficulties working safely.
Ba’amlong said the government, under the leadership of Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, remained committed to strengthening eye health services and making eye care increasingly accessible to residents, regardless of their location or economic circumstances.
“Our goal must be an eye health system where every person—regardless of age, gender, location or economic circumstances—has the opportunity to receive appropriate eye care,” he said.
He added that the government would continue to integrate eye health into the wider healthcare system, strengthen referral pathways, promote community awareness and encourage early detection and treatment of eye conditions.
Plateau State’s Commissioner for Health, Dr Nicholas Ba’amlong, speaking during the 2026 World Sight Day, being commemorated on October 8 under the theme, “Love Your Eyes.”
The Commissioner also stressed the need to reach people living in underserved and hard-to-reach communities, calling for a shift from isolated interventions to coordinated and sustainable eye health programmes.
He acknowledged the contributions of development partners, non-governmental organisations, health professionals, traditional and religious leaders, schools and community organisations towards improving eye health in Plateau State.
