Cross River State Government has announced a new health partnership with India’s Tulsi Chanrai Foundation (TCF), introducing the Community Ophthalmology Project to provide free eye surgeries and related services to residents.
Governor Bassey Edet Otu has approved the initiative, which is managed by TCF. Under the programme, residents must register in person at the College of Health Technology, Calabar. Successful registrants will be referred to TCF’s facility at the General Hospital, Calabar, where they will receive scheduled appointments for their surgeries.
The foundation, already recognized for its long-term work in Cross River, notably established an eye centre at the General Hospital in Calabar following a 2003 pilot camp that treated 1,019 patients within six months . By March 2019, the centre had successfully conducted 38,485 free surgeries .
Sources say that in recent years, the Tulsi Chanrai Foundation has been part of the Priceless Gift of Sight initiative, alongside First City Monument Bank (FCMB), providing free eye care to more than 400,000 Nigerians over the past 15 years, including extensive outreach in Cross River State .
Under the new scheme, individuals with cataracts or other eye growths—particularly the elderly—will receive priority during consultation hours. Appointments will be held every Thursday and Friday from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm at the General Hospital.
Officials are hopeful that formalizing this partnership will further integrate eyecare into primary health care and significantly expand access for underserved communities .
Cross River Residents are advised to take the following steps to access these free services:
1. Register in person at the College of Health Technology, Calabar
2. Obtain a referral to the TCF-operated centre at General Hospital, Calabar
3. Attend consulting on Thursdays and Fridays, 9 am–2 pm
4. Priority scheduling is available for elderly patients with cataracts or growths
