Restoring Sight, Renewing Lives; How Joy Ogunsan and Soleeha Musa-Etiko are Expanding Access to Eye Care through MediServe • Provide free medicated glasses to elderly citizens, drivers
By Oki O. Samson, Trek Africa Newspaper
For millions of Nigerians, clear vision is often taken for granted until blurred sight begins to steal the simple joys of everyday life. Reading a text message, identifying a familiar face across the road, driving safely through traffic, or threading a needle can suddenly become daunting tasks when eye problems go untreated. Yet, across the country, many people continue to live with avoidable visual impairment simply because quality eye care remains beyond their financial reach.
Health experts have repeatedly warned that many eye conditions, including glaucoma and refractive errors, can be effectively managed when detected early. However, poverty, limited awareness, and inadequate access to routine eye examinations continue to deny thousands of Nigerians the opportunity to preserve one of life’s greatest gifts, that is, the ability to see.
Against this backdrop, two young women, long before earning their medical degrees, are already demonstrating what compassionate healthcare leadership can look like.
Through MediServe, a female-led healthcare initiative they founded, aspiring medical students Joy Ogunsan and Soleeha Musa-Etiko are quietly proving that meaningful impact is not determined by age or professional titles but by the willingness to identify a need and respond with compassion.
Their latest intervention unfolded at MeCure HealthCare Limited in Oshodi, one of Lagos’ busiest commercial hubs, where commercial drivers, elderly residents, traders and teenagers gathered at the Debo Industries Compound of MeCure HealthCare Limited to receive the gift of clearer vision. The outreach marked the conclusion of an earlier free eye screening exercise during which about 60 residents underwent comprehensive eye examinations conducted by professional eye care specialists. Following detailed assessments, 14 beneficiaries with the most urgent visual needs were selected to receive specially prescribed medicated glasses, individually produced to match each person’s diagnosis.
For the two co-founders, the exercise was never about distributing spectacles. It was about restoring independence, improving safety and giving people the confidence to carry out everyday activities without unnecessary visual strain.
Soleeha Musa-Etiko, Founder of MediServe said: “We realised that many Nigerians quietly struggle with eye problems without seeking help until the situation becomes severe. The testimonies have been deeply encouraging. Some beneficiaries told us they can now see clearly again, while others said the persistent itching they experienced has stopped. Seeing that transformation is the greatest reward for us.”
According to her, Oshodi was deliberately selected for the initial free eye screening because it offers direct access to commercial drivers, elderly citizens, commuters and other members of the public who may otherwise have limited access to routine eye care.
Her co-founder, Joy Ogunsan, explained that although MediServe has broader healthcare ambitions, eye health became their first area of intervention after observing the increasing number of Nigerians living with preventable visual problems. “We’ve seen many elderly people struggling with poor vision, and we’ve also come across cases of glaucoma and other eye diseases that often go unnoticed until they become serious,” she said.
“We wanted to contribute our own quota by making eye care accessible to people who ordinarily may not be able to afford it.”
Despite being students preparing for university, both young women have balanced academic responsibilities with fundraising, partnership development and community mobilisation to sustain the initiative. They acknowledged that securing institutional support was one of their biggest challenges, but support eventually came through family members, friends, sponsors and healthcare partners who believed in their vision.
The partner on the project, MeCure Eye Centre described the outreach as different from many community eye programmes because each beneficiary received glasses specially prescribed after thorough clinical evaluation.
The Chief Optometrist, Dr. Comfort Ikedieze Isaac highlighted: “The glasses were individually prepared to serve both distance and near vision. Many people attend eye outreaches expecting ready-made glasses, but these prescriptions were specifically designed for each beneficiary after careful examination,”she explained.
She also stressed the importance of routine eye examinations, noting that dangerous conditions such as glaucoma often progress silently before symptoms become obvious. “Many patients only present when the disease has reached an advanced stage,” she said. “Early detection remains the best way to preserve vision.”
For beneficiaries, the impact was immediate and deeply personal. Mr. Kelechi Okwuosa, who received prescription glasses for the first time, described the experience as life-changing.
“I used to struggle with blurred vision whenever I wanted to read,” he said. “Now I can read comfortably, even on my phone. Everything is much clearer.”
Mrs. Olarenwaju Funmilayo also expressed gratitude after years of struggling with blurry vision. “I can now see clearly,” she said with excitement. “These young ladies have helped many people in our community. I pray God continues to bless them.”
A 14-year old beneficiary, Muiz Balogun, said the persistent itching that had troubled his eyes had significantly reduced after receiving his glasses.
Beyond the distribution of prescription lenses, the outreach became a powerful reminder that healthcare interventions do not always begin inside large hospitals or require billion-naira budgets. Sometimes, they begin with two determined young people who refuse to overlook the suffering around them.
Looking ahead, Joy Ogunsan and Soleeha Musa-Etiko hope to transform MediServe into a fully established non-profit healthcare organisation capable of reaching underserved communities across Nigeria. Their long-term vision includes expanding into other areas of healthcare, building a strong volunteer network and, ultimately, establishing a hospital that reflects their commitment to accessible and equitable healthcare.
At a time when conversations around healthcare often focus on infrastructure, funding and policy reforms, the story of MediServe offers an important lesson that compassion remains one of medicine’s most powerful tools.
Other dignitaries in attendance during the distribution of the free medicated eye glasses are the Managing Director and CEO of Executive Hotel and Suites, Dr. Ajoke Ogunsan; Consultant Ophthalmologist at MeCure, Dr. Sunday Alabi and Nurse Manager, MeCure, Mrs. Gloria Odok among others.
