The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has partnered with the federal ministry of health to combat preventable blindness and promote healthy sensory practices in the country.
The partnership was cemented when a team from the federal ministry of health’s national eye health programme (NEHP) visited the NOA headquarters in Abuja on Thursday.
Lanre Issa-Onilu, the director-general (DG) of NOA, said the agency has a strong capacity for grassroots engagement through its network of 818 offices, community radio stations, and television platforms.
Represented by David Akoji, a director at NOA, Issa-Onilu said the agency is committed to supporting public health awareness by leveraging its extensive communication infrastructure to reach underserved communities.
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Okolo Oteri, the director and national coordinator of NEHP, said 84 percent of blindness cases in Nigeria are preventable, adding that cataracts and glaucoma are the leading causes of visual impairment.
She stressed the need for public education on preventable causes of blindness in the country.
The partnership will include nationwide health education campaigns and state-level outreach activities.
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The communication campaigns will also focus on raising awareness of avoidable blindness and encourage healthy sensory practices.
