Gov Sule Hosts Ophthalmological Society, Pledges Support For 51st Annual Conference

Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State has pledged his administration’s support for the 51st Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference of the Ophthalmological Society of Nigeria, scheduled to hold from September 2 to 5, 2026.

Governor Sule gave the pledge while receiving a delegation of the society on a courtesy visit at the Government House on Friday.

He congratulated the society on the milestone of its 51st conference and commended its members for their contribution to eye care in Nigeria.

He noted his familiarity with the profession through his deputy, describing him as a widely respected figure both within the state and in the medical field nationally.

The governor recalled that his administration had similarly supported the society during a past conference held in Kano, and assured the delegation of continued support, noting that a formal request would be reviewed in consultation with the deputy governor.

He commended the society for selecting a hospital in Nasarawa State for its outreach programme, describing such interventions as valuable to residents who could not otherwise afford eye care services.

Earlier, the Chairperson of the 51st Conference Planning Committee, Regina Morgan, who led the delegation, said Nasarawa State was selected to serve as chief host of the conference, given that the Deputy Governor of the state, Dr. Emmanuel Akabe, is a highly respected ophthalmologist who would ordinarily have chaired the organising committee.

She explained that she was standing in for Akabe, describing him as her mentor and trainer in the profession.

Morgan said the conference, themed “Reimagining Eye Care in the Digital Era,” would bring together about 700 consultant ophthalmologists and over 250 doctors in training from across Nigeria and abroad, to discuss modern approaches to eye care as well as the wellbeing of healthcare givers themselves, under the sub-theme “Care of the Carer.”

She disclosed that the event is estimated to cost the society ₦450 million and would feature free cataract surgeries at select hospitals, including the Mararaba General Hospital in Nasarawa State.

She formally invited Governor Sule to serve as special guest of honour at the opening ceremony, scheduled for September, and presented him with a document detailing the society’s programme for his review.