Saudi Arabia Expands Eye Care Outreach To Lagos
By Bukar BOLORI
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has Expanded Eye Care Outreach to Gbagada General Hospital, owned by the Lagos State Government.
A statement on Thursday by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Embassy Press Attaché in Nigeria, Mohammed Alsahabi read that: “In a continuation of its global mission to provide critical healthcare services to underserved communities, the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) has extended its “ Saudi Noor “ ophthalmic volunteer programme to Lagos State’s Gbagada General Hospital, Lagos, from May 20th to 27th, 2025.”
He noted that this marks a significant step in the Kingdom’s ongoing support for preventive eye care in Nigeria.
Alsahabi said the Lagos phase of the programme brings essential ophthalmologic services to one of Nigeria’s most populous states, disclosing that beneficiaries at Gbagada General Hospital will receive comprehensive eye care services, including diagnostic eye screenings, cataract surgeries with intraocular lens (IOL) implants, correction of refractive errors, and the distribution of prescription eyeglasses.
He said the initiative is executed 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, and forms a core component of KSrelief’s broader mandate to providing relief o communities facing systemic healthcare challenges.
The Embassy spokesman said since launching its blindness prevention campaign in Nigeria in 2019, KSrelief has conducted over 218,000 eye examinations, more than 21,000 patients have regained their sight through surgical interventions, and over 45,000 eyeglasses have been distributed—transforming lives and restoring hope across several Nigerian states.
He noted that most recently, the programme has been implemented in Yobe, Kano, and Bauchi states, bringing relief to thousands in the northern part of Nigeria.
Alsahabi said KSrelief’s efforts in Lagos signify a growing recognition of the urban-rural healthcare divide and the need to address eye health challenges even within densely populated city centers.
Gbagada General Hospital, a major referral facility in Lagos, now becomes a vital hub for this life-changing outreach.
He noted that globally KSrelief has remained steadfast in its commitment to humanitarian excellence, stating that since its establishment in 2015, the Centre has executed over 3400 relief projects in more than 107 countries. Its blindness prevention initiatives continue to operate in countries such as Sudan, Yemen, Bangladesh, and Mauritania.
He said with this latest effort in Lagos, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has reinforced its relationship with Nigeria, dedication to humanitarian health missions and its solidarity with Nigeria’s efforts to combat preventable blindness.
