FG Receives Report on South African Workshop on Advancing Eye Health of Older Persons in Africa, and the Manila Statement

As part of efforts to enhance the wellbeing of older persons, the Federal Government has received the report of the South African Workshop on Advancing Eye Health of Older Persons in Africa, along with the Manila Statement.

The report was presented by the Coalition of Societies for the Rights of Older Persons in Nigeria (COSROPIN).

President of COSROPIN, Senator Eze Ajoku, OFR, and the Secretary-General, Reverend Victoria Onu, presented the report in Abuja during an official visit to the Director-General of the National Senior Citizens Centre (NSCC), Mrs. Bolanle Akinyemi Obe, on September 24, 2025.

Senator Ajoku explained that the purpose of the visit was to brief the Federal Government, through the NSCC, on the outcomes of the international workshop on “Advancing the Eye Health of the Older Population in Africa” held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), South Africa, on September 12, 2025, and to present the accompanying “Manila Statement” as a guiding document ahead of the United Nations World Sight Day on October 9, 2025.

He stated that the workshop—jointly organized by the Fred Hollows Foundation, the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB), and the International Federation on Ageing (IFA)—brought together experts in vision care, public health, and ageing.

“The workshop provided a platform for African nations to exchange ideas and develop strategies aimed at integrating vision health into national ageing and health policies,” Ajoku said.

He added that Nigeria was among five African countries invited to participate in the event, where participants emphasized the urgent need to prioritize eye health among older populations, recognizing that vision care is essential to healthy ageing as it affects mobility, safety, mental well-being, and overall quality of life.

According to him, “The Manila Statement, endorsed at the workshop, calls for a multi-sectoral and inter-agency approach to reduce preventable blindness and visual impairment across Africa, especially among senior citizens.”

Receiving the report, the Director-General of the NSCC, Mrs. Bolanle Akinyemi Obe, expressed deep appreciation to COSROPIN for its proactive representation of Nigeria at the event and for its continued advocacy for the health and dignity of older persons.

She commended COSROPIN’s efforts and reaffirmed the Centre’s commitment to adopt the report as a key national framework for action, particularly in advancing eye-health initiatives within its ongoing programmes.

Mrs. Akinyemi Obe assured the COSROPIN leadership that the Federal Government, through the NSCC, would collaborate with COSROPIN and development partners—including the Fred Hollows Foundation, IAPB, and IFA—to implement the recommendations of the Cape Town Workshop and the Manila Statement in Nigeria.

“This partnership will ensure that older Nigerians living with or at risk of vision impairment receive the care, attention, and policy support they deserve,” the Director-General added.