Tackling the Burden of Blindness in Ogun State, Nigeria: The Success of Private / Public Partnerships

Primary Health Centres in Nigeria and particularly Ogun state have suffered serious neglect over the years. A private / public partnership together with private health /education partnership have strengthened government health systems, developing a sustainable model for delivery of eye services to the most indigent. Over the last four years, in Ogun state, screening for cataract alone has increased in fourfold and the number of cataracts surgeries performed, threefold. However, ongoing subsidising of surgeries may be needed until local health insurance schemes or other ways of financing eye care become reliable. Tackling health beliefs about eye care remain one of the main barriers to uptake of services.