Sightsavers Nigeria, an international development organization, is celebrating seven decades of groundbreaking progress in eradicating disease, improving eye health, and advancing disability rights. Since its inception in 1953, the organization has collaborated with the government and partners to achieve remarkable milestones, including over 1,249 cataract surgeries for children and screening 1.3 million children for visual impairment in Northwest Nigeria.
In a major triumph against neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), the number of people at risk of blindness due to trachoma has plummeted from 38 million to just over 3.7 million. Sightsavers has also played a pivotal role in weaning millions off the use of Ivermectin for the elimination of River blindness in Kaduna, Sokoto, and Zamfara states.
To commemorate its 70th anniversary, Sightsavers Nigeria is hosting two special events in Abuja on November 20, 2023. The first event is a roundtable meeting bringing together technical experts from academia, government, public health, and the corporate sector to explore innovative solutions for developmental issues and local resourcing to eliminate NTDs. The second event will be a celebration joined by staff, partners, donors, and government officials. Notable successes from the past seven decades will be shared, awards presented for key achievements, and commitments made for the future.
Dr. Sunday Isiyaku, Sightsavers’ Country Director for Nigeria, expressed pride in the organization’s accomplishments over the years, emphasizing the transformation of countless lives through initiatives aimed at improving eye health, eliminating diseases, and boosting disability rights. He emphasized the commitment to a future where neglected tropical diseases are eradicated, quality eye care is accessible to all, and people with disabilities thrive in an inclusive society.
Throughout its seven decades of operation, Sightsavers has collaborated with government, local organizations, and communities to bring about transformative change.
Highlights include the establishment of the Nigeria Farmcraft Centre for the Blind in 1957, pioneering programs in the 1960s for the education of blind children, groundbreaking efforts to combat river blindness in the 1970s and 80s, the launch of the Nigerian Eye Health Programme in 2017, and advocacy leading to the signing and ratification of the African Disability Protocol in 2023 – the first legally binding treaty to protect the rights of people with disabilities across Africa.