The House of Representatives Wednesday passed for second reading, a bill seeking to amend the National Eye Centre Act, 2004, to provide for the establishment of more specialist eye care centers in Nigeria.
The proposed legislation was sponsored by the Deputy Speaker of the House, Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, Hon. Babajimi Benson and five others.
Leading the debate on its general principles, Kalu noted that the bill seeks to enhance access to qualitative eye care services across the six geo-political zones of the nation.
He said the proposed amendments seek to address the pressing need for more specialist eye care centres to cater for the growing population and address the rising cases of eye diseases in the country.
Making reference to reports, he lamented that preventable and treatable eye conditions are a leading cause of disability in Nigeria, with cataracts, glaucoma, and refractive errors remaining prevalent in many parts of the country, especially the rural areas where access to specialised care is limited.
“I rise to lead the debate on the general principles of a bill for an act to amend the National Eye Centre Act, Cap N38, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, which seeks to enhance access to qualitative eye care services across the six geo-political zones of our beloved nation. The proposed amendments seek to address the pressing need for more specialist eye carecentres to cater for the growing population and address the rising cases of eye diseases in the country,” he said.
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