Дорогостоящее лечение глаукомы в Нигерии грозит слепотой миллионам пациентов

Millions of Nigerians living with glaucoma are at risk of losing their sight as the soaring cost of diagnosis, medication, and surgery continues to put treatment beyond the reach of many patients, a new study has revealed. The study, published in the journal International Ophthalmology, found that the financial burden of glaucoma care falls heaviest on poor and uninsured Nigerians, leaving many unable to access timely diagnosis or remain on lifelong treatment for the disease—the world’s leading cause of irreversible blindness. The study’s authors included Chidera Stanley Anthony, Ikponmwosa Jude Ogieuhi, and Victor Oluwatomiwa Ajekiigbe, other researchers at the Imperial Academy of Researchers. These experts estimated that between 1.1 million and 1.4 million Nigerians are living with glaucoma, with many unaware they have the disease until permanent vision loss has already occurred. The review, titled “The Patient-Based Socioeconomic Burden of Glaucoma Care in Nigeria: A Scoping Review”, analysed evidence from studies conducted across Nigeria and concluded that poverty, limited health insurance coverage, and poor access to specialist eye care remain major obstacles to effective treatment. According to the researchers, many patients are forced to delay hospital visits, skip medications, or forgo surgery because of the high cost of care, increasing their risk of irreversible blindness. READ ALSO: Drug Use in Nigeria The review found that glaucoma places a significant financial burden on patients through the cost of consultations, diagnostic tests, medications, surgery, transportation, and lost income, particularly among low-income households. The researchers called on the Federal Government to expand health insurance coverage for glaucoma care, subsidise the cost of screening and treatment, and strengthen access to affordable eye care services nationwide, warning that Nigeria could face a growing burden of preventable blindness if urgent action is not taken. They also urged increased public awareness and routine eye screening, stressing that glaucoma often develops silently and can permanently damage vision before symptoms become noticeable. The researchers explained that comprehensive policy reforms are urgently needed to make glaucoma care affordable, improve treatment adherence, and protect millions of Nigerians from avoidable blindness.