Many eye conditions develop silently, significant damage already done
As Nigeria confronts a quiet surge in chronic illness and the healthcare needs of an ageing population, the private sector is stepping into spaces that public hospitals have long struggled to fill. OneHealth by AXA has opened dedicated geriatric and optometry clinics at its Victoria Island Medical Centre in Lagos, extending a model of integrated specialist care to conditions that often go undetected until significant harm is done. The expansion reflects a broader reckoning within Nigerian healthcare — that the gap between what people need and what the system provides is widening, and that someone must choose to close it.
- Nigeria's rising burden of non-communicable diseases and silent vision loss is outpacing the capacity of public hospitals to respond with specialist care.
- OneHealth by AXA has opened geriatric and optometry clinics in Lagos, targeting age-related conditions and undiagnosed eye disorders that cluster in older and underserved populations.
- The geriatric clinic offers personalised long-term care plans for seniors, while the optometry clinic runs five days a week to catch vision problems before irreversible damage sets in.
- The new clinics slot into an already broad portfolio of specialist services, reinforcing a strategy of coordinated, multi-disciplinary care under one roof.
- The critical unresolved question is whether this private expansion will genuinely widen access or deepen the divide between those who can afford quality care and those who cannot.
Nigeria's private healthcare sector is making a deliberate move into specialist services, driven by the twin pressures of chronic disease and an ageing population. OneHealth by AXA, a subsidiary of the global insurance and healthcare group, has opened two new clinics at its Victoria Island Medical Centre in Lagos — one focused on geriatric care, the other on optometry — signalling a broader industry shift toward filling gaps that public hospitals have struggled to address.
The country is contending with a rising tide of non-communicable diseases — hypertension, diabetes, arthritis, cognitive decline — conditions that cluster in older populations and demand sustained, coordinated care. Eye disorders present a parallel challenge: many develop silently, with damage already done by the time symptoms appear. Private providers see an opening.
Wahen Egbe, Chief Business Officer of OneHealth by AXA, described the geriatric clinic as a response to the mounting healthcare challenges facing Nigeria's older adults. It offers comprehensive assessment, prevention, diagnosis and long-term management of age-related conditions, with personalised care plans designed to help seniors maintain independence. Dr. Jadesola Idowu, the Country Manager, framed the optometry clinic as an answer to the problem of undiagnosed vision loss — offering eye examinations, vision screening, refraction services, corrective lens prescriptions, and early detection of common eye diseases.
The new clinics join an already extensive portfolio that includes cardiology, endocrinology, obstetrics, paediatrics, orthopaedics, physiotherapy and 24-hour ambulance services — a model of integrated care with multiple specialists under one roof. Healthcare analysts suggest that sustained private investment, paired with genuine public-private collaboration, could ease pressure on Nigeria's strained public hospitals and improve outcomes at scale. The deeper question, however, remains open: whether these services will reach ordinary Nigerians, or become yet another marker of a healthcare system divided by wealth.
Nigeria's private healthcare sector is making a deliberate push into specialist services, betting that chronic disease and an ageing population will drive sustained demand. OneHealth by AXA, a subsidiary of the global insurance and healthcare group, has just opened two new clinics at its Victoria Island Medical Centre in Lagos: one dedicated to geriatric care, the other to optometry. The move signals a broader industry shift toward filling gaps that public hospitals have struggled to address.
The timing reflects real pressure on the country's healthcare system. Nigeria is contending with a rising tide of non-communicable diseases—hypertension, diabetes, arthritis, cognitive decline—conditions that cluster in older populations and require sustained, coordinated care. Eye disorders, too, are becoming a public health concern; many people develop vision problems gradually, without noticing symptoms until significant damage has occurred. Private providers see an opening, and they are moving into it.
Wahen Egbe, the Chief Business Officer of OneHealth by AXA, framed the expansion as a response to evolving demand. The geriatric clinic, she explained, emerged from growing recognition that Nigeria's older adults face mounting healthcare challenges. The clinic offers comprehensive assessment, prevention, diagnosis and long-term management of age-related conditions. It operates Tuesday afternoons, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., and is designed not just to treat illness but to help seniors maintain independence and quality of life through personalised care plans.
Dr. Jadesola Idowu, the Country Manager, described the optometry clinic as an answer to a different but equally pressing problem: undiagnosed vision loss. Many eye conditions develop silently. By the time symptoms appear, significant damage may have already occurred. The clinic offers comprehensive eye examinations, vision screening, refraction services, prescription of corrective lenses, and early detection of common eye diseases across age groups. It also provides preventive counselling and occupational vision assessments. Operating Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., it is designed to catch problems early.
OneHealth by AXA is not starting from scratch. The company already operates a range of specialist services—cardiology, endocrinology, obstetrics and gynaecology, paediatrics, orthopaedics, physiotherapy, ear, nose and throat, urology and endoscopy—alongside 24-hour ambulance and radiology services. The new clinics fit into a strategy of integrated healthcare delivery: multiple specialists under one roof, coordinated care, continuity.
Healthcare analysts argue that this kind of private investment, sustained and strategic, combined with genuine public-private collaboration, could reshape access to quality care across Nigeria. Public hospitals are under strain. Private providers filling specialist gaps could reduce that pressure and improve outcomes. But the calculus depends on whether these services remain accessible to ordinary Nigerians, or whether they become another marker of inequality in a healthcare system already divided by wealth.
Citações Notáveis
The addition of these clinics reflects the growing demand for specialised medical services that address the evolving health needs of people at different stages of life.— Wahen Egbe, Chief Business Officer, OneHealth by AXA
Many eye conditions develop gradually without noticeable symptoms until significant vision loss has occurred, making routine eye examinations essential for early diagnosis and treatment.— Dr. Jadesola Idowu, Country Manager, OneHealth by AXA
A Conversa do Hearth Outra perspectiva sobre a história
Why now? Why are private providers suddenly investing in geriatric and optometry clinics specifically?
Because the problem is visible and growing. Nigeria's population is ageing, chronic diseases are rising, and public hospitals can't keep up. Private providers see both a need and a market.
But geriatric care and optometry aren't glamorous specialties. They're not high-margin like cosmetic surgery or fertility treatment.
True. But they're predictable. An ageing population means steady demand. And eye care is preventive—people will pay for screening if they can access it easily. OneHealth is betting on volume and reliability, not prestige.
The clinics have specific operating hours. Tuesday afternoons for geriatrics, weekday mornings for optometry. Does that limit access?
It does. If you work a standard job, Tuesday 2 to 5 p.m. might not work. And weekday mornings exclude people who can't take time off. It's convenient for some, restrictive for others.
What happens to people who can't afford private care?
They wait longer in public hospitals, or they don't get screened at all. That's the gap these clinics are meant to fill—but only for those who can pay. Public-private collaboration could change that, but it requires government investment and coordination that isn't guaranteed.
Is this expansion a sign that private healthcare is becoming the default in Nigeria?
Not yet. But it's a sign that private providers are confident enough to invest in sustained, specialist care. If public hospitals continue to struggle, yes, private healthcare will become the path for anyone who can afford it. That's the risk.