Skipper Eye-Q Super Speciality Hospitals Nigeria has unveiled a new advanced eye hospital in Gwarinpa, Abuja, as part of its ongoing efforts to reduce the rising trend of medical tourism among Nigerians.
The new facility, the fourth Skipper Eye-Q branch in the country, aims to provide world-class eye care locally and make quality treatment accessible to citizens who often spend huge sums seeking medical services abroad for treatable conditions such as cataracts.
Speaking at the official opening ceremony, the Medical Director, Dr. Temitope Tijani, appealed to the Federal Government to subsidise eye care services to make them more affordable, especially for low-income families.
“This hospital was set up to cut costs and provide quality services locally. Government intervention through subsidies will make a huge difference, particularly for poor households who struggle to afford even basic medical care,” she said.
Dr. Tijani noted that the hospital currently has four specialised doctors delivering high-level ophthalmic services, attracting patients from across Nigeria. “Our dream is to practise as surgeons here at home without patients having to travel abroad. That dream is being realised today,” she added.
The new branch joins Skipper Eye-Q’s existing facilities in Lagos and Abuja and includes a mobile eye clinic designed to deliver on-the-spot services to communities in and around the Federal Capital Territory. The mobile unit will provide free screenings and early interventions to help prevent avoidable blindness.
Founded in India, Skipper Eye-Q has evolved into a multinational network operating across Asia and Africa. Since debuting in Nigeria in 2016 with its Victoria Island, Lagos branch, the group has expanded steadily, offering specialised treatments for various eye conditions while upholding its guiding philosophy of “human care, not profit.”
Nigeria loses an estimated $1 billion annually to medical tourism, with eye-related treatments ranking among the top reasons citizens travel abroad to countries such as India, the UAE, and the UK.
In his remarks, the National President of the Nigerian Optometric Association (NOA), Dr. Anderson Chimeziri, commended the hospital’s investment but called for stronger government regulation and support for eye health services.
He urged authorities to improve power supply for sensitive medical equipment, standardise clinics, and review tariffs under the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA). “Providers can’t even recover the cost of drugs under the current structure,” he noted.
The leadership team of Skipper Eye-Q includes Group President Jitender Sachdeva, Founder and CMD Dr. Ajay Sharma, Country Head Ajay Chaudha, CEO Rajat Go, Chief Project Manager for the Mobile Eye Clinic, and Business Head Soumya Goel.
Goel explained that the mobile clinic initiative will extend beyond Abuja to other parts of the country, bringing preventive and curative eye services directly to communities.
“We want to make sure people can access eye care right at their doorsteps,” she said. “Many Nigerians do not go for regular checkups until complications arise. With this initiative, we aim to change that and prevent needless blindness.”
