NOA, Optometrists Partner to Combat Avoidable Blindness in Nigeria
The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has strengthened efforts to tackle avoidable blindness in Nigeria through a new partnership with the Nigerian Optometric Association (NOA).
This development was announced during a courtesy visit by the President of the Nigerian Optometric Association, Dr. Chimeziri Anderson, to the NOA headquarters in Abuja.
Speaking on behalf of the Director General of NOA, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, the Director of Health and Social Care, Dr. Abiodun Olufemi Ayoola, commended the association for its role in advancing eye care services nationwide. He reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to collaborating with stakeholders to promote eye health awareness across communities.
Ayoola emphasized that NOA would deploy its extensive grassroots network and communication platforms to educate Nigerians on preventive eye care and the importance of early detection of vision problems.
He also highlighted the agency’s newly introduced indigenous digital Artificial Intelligence chatbot, CLHEEAN—an acronym for Crime and Lawlessness, Health, Education, Environment, Abuse, and Nationalism—as a key tool for enhancing citizen engagement and encouraging positive behavioral change.
Earlier, Dr. Anderson stressed the need for increased public awareness on eye health, noting that a large proportion of blindness cases in Nigeria are preventable with timely intervention. He expressed the association’s readiness to work closely with NOA on targeted awareness campaigns and community outreach initiatives, as the partnership is expected to enhance multi-sectoral collaboration aimed at reducing avoidable blindness and improving eye health outcomes across Nigeria.
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