By Adeola Badru

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has launched an ophthalmic outreach programme in Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State, aimed at making quality healthcare accessible, particularly in underserved communities.

The initiative, a humanitarian effort by the Saudi government, brought the acclaimed “Saudi Noor” ophthalmic volunteer programme, powered by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief), to the state from August 1 to August 7, 2025.

Holding at the Makkah Specialist Eye Hospital in Elebu, Ibadan, the outreach reflected Saudi Arabia’s commitment to supporting global health initiatives and promoting volunteerism.

According to the Saudi Press Attaché in Nigeria, Mohammed Alsahabi, residents of Ibadan and surrounding areas will benefit from a range of free high-impact eye care services.

These, he said, include advanced diagnostic screenings, cataract surgeries with intraocular lens (IOL) implants, treatment for refractive errors, and the distribution of prescription eyeglasses.

Alsahabi noted that the outreach is being 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.

“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,” he said.

Alsahabi further disclosed that 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 such as Yemen, Sudan, Bangladesh, and Mauritania, aligning 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 reporters, one of the beneficiaries, Alhaji Tajudeen Adebayo, expressed gratitude to the Saudi government for the initiative.

He urged everyone, regardless of their religion, who is struggling with vision issues to take advantage of the free services.

“There is no discrimination on religious grounds,” he emphasised.

Another beneficiary, Kasali Mariam, who has undergone an initial check-up and is awaiting treatment, praised the outreach, saying, “I am hopeful that my eye issue will be resolved once and for all.