The Ophthalmological Society of Nigeria (OSN) says the migration of one ophthalmologist could cost the Nigerian economy about 150,000 dollars annually, amid growing concerns over the country’s eye-care workforce deficit.

The president of the society, Gloria Patrick-Ferife, disclosed this in a communiqué issued on Saturday at the end of the 51st Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Scientific Conference of the OSN in Abuja.

The three-day conference had the theme: “Re-imagining Eye Care in the Digital Era”.

Mrs Patrick-Ferife said the loss of skilled ophthalmologists due to migration was compounding existing shortages and creating difficulties in providing equitable access to specialised eye-care services.

She called on the federal, state and local governments to employ more ophthalmologists and other eye-care professionals, particularly in rural and underserved communities.

According to her, inadequate employment opportunities, insecurity and poor distribution of health workers had contributed to the concentration of specialists in major population centres.

She said the country must urgently strengthen its eye-health workforce and create an enabling environment that retained skilled professionals.

The OSN president also expressed concern over the burden of visual impairment in Nigeria, saying more than 24 million Nigerians were living with some form of visual impairment.

She said cataract, glaucoma, uncorrected refractive errors and diabetic retinopathy remained among the leading causes of blindness and visual impairment.

Mrs Patrick-Ferife said that about 84 per cent of visual impairment and blindness in the country was preventable or treatable, stressing the need for early detection, appropriate treatment and improved access to eye-care services.

She said the theme of the conference reflected the urgent need for Nigeria to leverage technology, innovation and data to address gaps in eye-care delivery.

According to her, artificial intelligence, tele-ophthalmology, digital imaging, electronic medical records, simulation-based training and data-driven research were creating new opportunities to expand access to quality eye care.

She, however, cautioned that technological advancement must not compromise ethics or replace the human expertise required in patient care.

“Artificial intelligence should serve as a complement to human expertise rather than a replacement for ophthalmologists and other eye-care professionals.

“The OSN  is particularly concerned about the digital divide, inadequate infrastructure, affordability, data protection and the ethical implications of deploying artificial intelligence in healthcare,” she said.

She called for the immediate integration of eye-health data into the national District Health Information Software (DHIS) platform to facilitate effective planning and evidence-based decision-making.

She also advocated the deployment of solar-powered digital tools at the primary healthcare level to overcome challenges associated with unreliable electricity supply and make digital eye care more accessible.

The president called for the adoption of tele-ophthalmology and other digital solutions to improve service delivery and expand access to specialist care in underserved rural and urban communities.

According to her, Nigeria cannot rely solely on conventional models of healthcare delivery to reach its growing population.

She urged stakeholders to explore technology-enabled approaches capable of extending specialist services to hard-to-reach communities.

Mrs Patrick-Ferife called for the development of a three-year strategic plan for the OSN, aligned with the National Eye Health Strategic Plan.

She expressed concern over the non-availability of vital parenteral intraocular medicines, particularly those used in the management of retinal diseases, on the National Health Insurance Authority drug list.

She urged the relevant authorities to address the gap to ensure that patients had access to essential medicines and eye-care services.

The OSN president also condemned the persistent prevalence of quackery and the activities of unauthorised local and foreign health practitioners providing eye-care interventions.

“Such practices are detrimental to patients and communities, and there is a need for stronger enforcement of professional boundaries within the eye-health sector.

“There is also a need for clear definition and enforcement of professional boundaries among the various cadres working within the eye-health sector,” she said.

She urged health professionals to maintain high ethical standards despite the increasing use of automation and digital technologies in healthcare.

According to her, the aesthetics of eye care must be preserved through appropriate professional conduct, sound clinical judgement, effective communication, empathy and workplace harmony.

She also called for stronger mentorship programmes and measures to promote the well-being of ophthalmologists, particularly in view of growing concerns over burnout among practitioners.

The OSN president said the society was concerned about the high cost of subspecialty training, limited opportunities for specialist training and the increasing pressure on ophthalmologists and other eye-care workers.

She urged governments and non-governmental organisations to invest more in workforce development, training and retraining, particularly in artificial intelligence, electronic medical records and digital diagnostics.

She also called for an enabling environment that would encourage ophthalmologists and other eye-care professionals to practise in rural communities.

According to her, the society would continue to engage relevant authorities, including the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, the National Health Insurance Authority and other stakeholders, to address gaps affecting eye-care delivery.

“We call on companies, non-governmental organisations, philanthropists and members of the public to support the acquisition of modern ophthalmic equipment to improve access to quality eye-care services.

“We also urge technology companies to support the development of consultancy services, contact networks and digital platforms that could facilitate the delivery of clinical eye-care services to rural and urban populations,” she said.

The OSN president said the society had recorded some progress in specialist training and service delivery, including the establishment of ophthalmic simulation centres and increased availability of advanced surgical services.

She welcomed the acquisition of surgical simulators at the Dakins Eye Centre, Bayero University Hospital, Kano, and Elekta Eye Institute, Ibadan, Oyo State, to support training and retraining in phacoemulsification cataract and retinal surgery.

“The facilities were supported through philanthropic efforts,”she said.

She also acknowledged improvements in the society’s financial position, saying financial support to its members had increased from about 30 per cent in 2025 to more than 60 per cent in 2026.

She said the OSN had continued to provide leadership and support for the effective functioning of state eye-health committees across the country.

She also highlighted the important role played by OSN members in implementing the National Eye Health Strategic Development Plan 2024–2028 and the National Eye, Ear and Sensory Functions Health Programme.

The OSN president welcomed continued collaboration with international and continental ophthalmology organisations, including the International Council of Ophthalmology, International Ophthalmology Fellowship Foundation, African Ophthalmology Congress and Africa Council of Ophthalmology.

She also commended the federal government, state governments, development partners, professional bodies and other stakeholders for their contributions to improving eye care in Nigeria.

The conference brought together ophthalmologists, researchers, scientists, policymakers and other stakeholders to deliberate on emerging trends in ophthalmology and strategies for improving access to quality eye-care services.

OSN had, ahead of the conference, announced plans to conduct more than 500 free cataract surgeries as part of its humanitarian activities aimed at reducing avoidable blindness.

The society has also advocated greater use of tele-ophthalmology, artificial intelligence and digital screening to bridge manpower and geographical gaps in eye-care delivery, particularly for underserved communities.

The OSN reiterated its commitment to advancing accessible, ethical, technology-enabled and patient-centred eye care in Nigeria. 

(NAN)