More than 4,000 Lagos residents have received critical eye care through the “Saudi Noor” ophthalmic volunteer programme, extended to Lagos State by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief).
EpeInsights gathered that the initiative, carried out at Gbagada General Hospital, is part of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s ongoing global health outreach to underserved communities.
According to Mohammed Alsahabi, Saudi Press Attaché in Nigeria, the intervention reflects the Kingdom’s commitment to preventive healthcare and strengthening bilateral ties through humanitarian work.
“This programme brings essential ophthalmologic services—including eye screenings, cataract surgeries with intraocular lens (IOL) implants, and the provision of prescription eyeglasses—to communities that might otherwise go without,” Alsahabi said.
Since launching the blindness prevention campaign in Nigeria in 2019, KSrelief has conducted over 218,000 eye exams, performed 21,000 vision-restoring surgeries, and distributed more than 45,000 eyeglasses across the country.
Previous phases of the initiative were successfully executed in Yobe, Kano and Bauchi states.
The current Lagos phase recognizes the importance of addressing healthcare disparities in urban centres, with Gbagada General Hospital serving as a critical hub for this outreach. The effort is 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.
“This is a profound gesture of solidarity with Nigeria’s healthcare mission,” Alsahabi noted. “It’s not just about surgeries; it’s about restoring dignity, mobility, and quality of life.”
Beneficiaries expressed deep gratitude. Imam Yahaya Atederui, Chief Imam of Al-Muftiham Mosque in Mushin, called the free cataract procedure “a life-changing act of kindness,” praising the efficiency and painlessness of the surgery.
Yusuf Adebeshin, a Lagos civil servant, shared a similar sentiment: “Private hospitals quoted over ₦1 million for my surgery. This free intervention was a miracle I didn’t expect. I can see again, and I am deeply thankful.”
The Saudi Noor programme in Lagos underscores the Kingdom’s strategic investment in humanitarian health and its growing partnership with Nigeria in the fight against preventable blindness.
