NEDC Deploys N3bn Ophthalmic Equipment, Begins Training at Maiduguri Eye Hospital

Michael Olugbode in Abuja

The North East Development Commission (NEDC) has commenced a two-week Ophthalmology Equipment Set-Up and Training Programme at the Maiduguri Eye Hospital in Borno State, following the deployment of advanced eye-care equipment valued at over N3 billion.

The programme, which began on Monday, marks a major step in the Commission’s efforts to improve specialist healthcare delivery and address preventable blindness across the North-East region.

Activities on the first day included the installation, calibration, and coupling of cutting-edge ophthalmic equipment, alongside the start of hands-on technical and clinical training sessions.

The exercise is aimed at ensuring the newly supplied equipment is fully operational and optimally configured for effective eye-care services.

The training is being led by Prof. Abdull Mohammed Mahdi, a Chief Consultant in Ophthalmology, with support from Dr. Abuh Sunday, also a Chief Consultant, and a multidisciplinary team of experts in ophthalmology and biomedical engineering.

Participants include consultant ophthalmologists, resident doctors, ophthalmic nurses, optometrists, and biomedical engineers from the Maiduguri Eye Hospital and the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH).

They will receive intensive practical training on the operation, maintenance, and efficient use of the equipment.

According to the NEDC, the initiative is expected to significantly enhance the hospital’s diagnostic and surgical capacity, particularly in the management of cataract and glaucoma cases.

The Commission noted the intervention aligns with its long-term objective of transforming Maiduguri Eye Hospital into a regional centre of excellence for ophthalmic care.

In addition to the equipment deployment and training, the Commission is undertaking extensive renovation and infrastructure upgrades at the hospital to support modern clinical operations and improve patient experience.

The NEDC is also extending similar ophthalmic interventions across other states in the North-East. Of note is the ongoing construction of an ultra-modern Eye Institute at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH) in Bauchi, which commenced last year and is scheduled for accelerated implementation this year.

Officials of the Commission described the intervention as a strategic investment that combines modern medical infrastructure with deliberate human capacity development, noting that the N3 billion equipment deployment and training programme will have a lasting impact on access to quality eye-care services in the region.