THE Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has launched a free ophthalmic outreach programme in Ibadan, Oyo State, through its King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief).
The week-long medical mission, running from Friday, August 1, to Thursday, August 7, 2025, is part of the renowned “Saudi Noor” volunteer initiative aimed at preventing avoidable blindness in underserved communities.
The Ibadan outreach is taking place barely three months after the Kingdom restored the sight of over 4,000 people at Gbagada General Hospital, Lagos.
Saudi Press Attaché to Nigeria, Mohammed Alsahabi, said the exercise will deliver a wide range of eye care services free of charge to residents of Ibadan and nearby areas.
“These services include diagnostic screenings, cataract surgeries with intraocular lens (IOL) implants, treatments for refractive errors and the distribution of prescription eyeglasses.
“The initiative is being carried out under the directives of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and His Royal Highness, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, reaffirming the Kingdom’s commitment to accessible healthcare and global humanitarian service.
“This is more than a medical mission, it’s a commitment to restoring dignity and sight to thousands of people,” Alsahabi said.
He explained that: “The outreach not only provides vital medical aid but also strengthens bilateral ties between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia, highlighting a shared commitment to improving lives through global health equity.
“This Ibadan phase marks another major milestone in KSrelief’s mission to combat avoidable blindness in Nigeria.
“Since its introduction in 2019, the blindness prevention initiative has delivered over 218,000 eye exams, enabled more than 21,000 sight-restoring surgeries and distributed over 45,000 eyeglasses. Previous interventions have taken place in Yobe, Kano, Bauchi, and Lagos, impacting thousands of lives.
“Globally, KSrelief has implemented over 3612 relief projects in more than 108 countries since its establishment in 2015. Its blindness prevention programmes are active in countries like Yemen, Sudan, Bangladesh, and Mauritania, aligned with international commitments.
“Saudi Arabia’s move to bring the ‘Saudi Noor’ initiative to Ibadan deepens its longstanding ties with Nigeria and reaffirms its commitment to human dignity, access to quality healthcare and the elimination of preventable blindness.”
Beneficiaries have also begun to express heartfelt gratitude.
Alhaji Tajudeen Adebayo, one of the early patients, praised the Saudi government’s effort.
“This initiative is for everyone, whether Christian or Muslim. There is no discrimination. If you have any eye problem, come forward and get treated,” he said.
Another beneficiary, Mariam Kasali, said she was hopeful after her screening.
“I have been checked and I am waiting for treatment. I pray this will finally resolve my eye issue. I truly appreciate what the Saudi government is doing for us,” she said.
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