Analysis of Human Resources for Eye Health in Ogun State of Nigeria: Progress towards Vision 2020

Aims: To conduct a situational analysis of human resources for eye health (HReH) and assess its progress towards vision 2020 goals in Ogun state of Nigeria.

Study Design: A descriptive cross-sectional study.

Place and Duration of Study: 21 eye care facilities in Ogun state between November and December 2014.

Methodology: Data was collected with an adapted questionnaire developed by WHO and IAPB. The questionnaire was filled by telephone interview to key officials of registration boards for ophthalmologists, optometrists and ophthalmic nurses and public and private institutions employing these professionals in the state. Sources of population data was from census, state website and estimated rate of annual population. Each of these targets graded to show if vision 2020 target was met in 2014.

Results: There were 21 eye care facilities in Ogun state. 7 (33%) are government owned, 2 (9.5%) are non-governmental organization (NGO)/mission owned and 12 (57.2%) are private for profit. There were 77 eye care workers in active service made up of 27 ophthalmologists, 31 ophthalmic nurses and 19 optometrists in 2014. Most eye care workers in Ogun state work in government establishments (66%), 26% in private for profit and 7.8% in NGO/mission. Vision 2020 targets had only been achieved for ophthalmologists in 2014. The Ogun state ratio for ophthalmologist was 5.4 per million populations, 3.8 for optometrists and 6.3 for ophthalmic nurses. The percentage of each of the eye care workers average 25% in the capital city and 75% outside capital. Practitioner per million population specific for capital and outside capital is worse outside capital city.

Conclusion: The HReH was above the vision 2020 target for ophthalmologists. The ophthalmic nurses are above average and optometrists very low. There is need for a targeted investment for these two categories of practitioners and the need to address maldistribution of eye care workers.