By Adeyinka Adeniran
In its effort to make quality healthcare accessible globally especially in underserved communities, the kingdom of Saudi Arabia has launched an ophthalmic outreach in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital city.
The outreach, another humanitarian step by the Saudi government to bring its “Saudi Noor” ophthalmic volunteer programme, is powered by King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KS relief) and will hold from August 1st – 7th, 2025.
Holding at the Makkah Specialist Eye Hospital, Elebu, Ibadan, the organisers said the outreach reflect the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s commitment to supporting global health initiatives and promoting volunteer work.
According to the Saudi Press Attache in Nigeria, Mohammed Alsahabi, residents of Ibadan and surrounding areas will benefit from a range of free high impact eye care services including advanced diagnostic screenings, cataract surgeries with intraocular lens (IOL) implants, treatment of refractive errors and distribution of prescriptive eyeglasses.
Alsahabi noted that the outreach is implemented under the directives of the custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
He said, “This Ibadan phase marks another major milestone in KSrelief’s mission to combat avoidable blindness in Nigeria.
“Since its introduction in 2019, the blindness prevention initiative has delivered over 218,000 eye exams, enabled more than 21,000 sight-restoring surgeries, and distributed over 45,000 eyeglasses.
“Previous interventions have taken place in Yobe, Kano, Bauchi, and Lagos, impacting thousands of lives.
“Globally, KSrelief has implemented over 3,612 relief projects in more than 108 countries since its establishment in 2015. Its blindness prevention programmes are active in countries like Yemen, Sudan, Bangladesh, and Mauritania, aligned with international commitments.
“Saudi Arabia’s move to bring the “Saudi Noor” initiative to Ibadan deepens its longstanding ties with Nigeria and reaffirms its commitment to human dignity, access to quality healthcare, and the elimination of preventable blindness”, Alsahabi concluded.
Speaking to newsmen, one of the beneficiaries, Alhaji Tajudeen Adebayo expressed gratitude to the Saudi Government for the initiative and urged everyone, whether Christian or Muslim, who is battling with one eye problem or the other to come around as there is no discrimination on religious ground.
Another beneficiary, Kasali Mariam who said she has been checked and waiting for treatment laud the free eye care outreach by the Saudi Government and hoped that her eye issue would be dealt with once and for all.
