National Policy Support for Integrating Primary Eye Care into Primary Health Care in Nigeria: Identifying Gaps and Advocating for Inclusivity

Ezeh EI; Otu VM; Ezeh RN; Uzomba AE; Uduma C; Egor K; Etim BA; Ibanga AA; Bassey P; Ameh S; Duke RE; Nkanga DG; Faal HB

doi:10.61386/imj.v19i4.1384

Authors

Ezeh EI Department of Ophthalmology, University of Calabar, Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria
Otu VM Department of Paediatrics, University of Calabar, Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria
Ezeh RN Department of Ophthalmology, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Cross River State, Nigeria
Uzomba AE Department of Public Health, University of Calabar, Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria
Uduma C Department of Ophthalmology, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Cross River State, Nigeria
Egor K Department of Ophthalmology, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Cross River State, Nigeria
Etim BA Department of Ophthalmology, University of Calabar, Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria
Ibanga AA Department of Ophthalmology, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Cross River State, Nigeria
Bassey P Department of Public Health, University of Calabar, Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria
Ameh S Department of Community Medicine, University of Calabar, Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria
Duke RE Department of Ophthalmology, University of Calabar, Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria
Nkanga DG Department of Ophthalmology, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Cross River State, Nigeria
Faal HB Department of Ophthalmology, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Cross River State, Nigeria

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.61386/imj.v19i4.1384

Keywords:

primary health care, policy integration, health policy, eye health, Nigeria, universal health coverage

Abstract

Background: Nigeria still grapples with a high prevalence of avoidable blindness. A major culpable factor is the inequitable access to comprehensive eye health services, particularly at the primary health care (PHC) level. To effectively and sustainably implement eye care services at the PHC level, there need to be a defined and/or supporting policy framework(s) for the integration of primary eye care (PEC) into primary health care in Nigeria. This article is aimed at highlighting available enabling policies for the integration of PEC into PHC in Nigeria.

Materials and Methods: A review of relevant policy documents was conducted to summarise the different policy documents and their corresponding integration support elements. Eleven (11) policy documents containing relevant elements for the integration of PEC into PHC in Nigeria were identified and the supportive policies were extracted and presented in a tabular fashion.

Findings/Conclusion: Our review highlights that, whereas Nigeria has an enabling policy environment for integrating PEC into PHC, but the current framework is fragmented and lacks policy coherence. There is an urgent need to consolidate existing policy provisions into a unified national framework for PEC integration and to revise the Minimum Standards for Primary Health Care to explicitly include PEC as a core service component. Such policy action would strengthen implementation, promote equity in access to eye care and support progress towards universal health coverage.