NEDC Deploys ₦3bn Eye-Care Equipment, Begins Training in Maiduguri
The North East Development Commission (NEDC) has commenced a two-week Ophthalmology Equipment Set-Up and Training Programme at the Maiduguri Eye Hospital, Borno State, following the deployment of advanced eye-care equipment valued at over ₦3 billion.
The programme, which began on Monday, represents a major step in the Commission’s drive to strengthen specialist healthcare delivery and reduce preventable blindness across the North-East. Activities on the first day included installation, calibration, and coupling of the cutting-edge equipment, alongside the commencement of hands-on technical and clinical training to ensure optimal use.
The training is being led by Prof. Abdull Mohammed Mahdi, Chief Consultant in Ophthalmology, with support from Dr. Abuh Sunday and a multidisciplinary team of ophthalmology and biomedical engineering experts.
Participants drawn from the Maiduguri Eye Hospital and the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) include consultant ophthalmologists, resident doctors, ophthalmic nurses, optometrists, and biomedical engineers. They are undergoing intensive practical sessions on equipment operation, maintenance, and efficient clinical application.
The NEDC said the intervention will significantly boost the hospital’s diagnostic and surgical capacity, particularly in the treatment of cataract and glaucoma, while supporting its long-term goal of transforming the Maiduguri Eye Hospital into a regional centre of excellence.
In addition to the equipment deployment, the Commission is carrying out extensive renovations and infrastructure upgrades at the hospital to enhance modern clinical operations and patient experience.
Similar ophthalmic interventions are also underway across the North-East, including the construction of an ultra-modern Eye Institute at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH) in Bauchi, which began last year and is slated for accelerated implementation this year.
The Commission described the initiative as a strategic investment that combines advanced medical infrastructure with targeted human capacity development, noting that the ₦3 billion intervention will have a lasting impact on access to quality eye-care services in the region.
