TY - JOUR T1 - Strengthening retinopathy of prematurity screening and treatment services in Nigeria: a case study of activities, challenges and outcomes 2017-2020 JF - BMJ Open Ophthalmology JO - BMJ Open Ophth DO - 10.1136/bmjophth-2020-000645 VL - 6 IS - 1 SP - e000645 AU - Dupe S Ademola-Popoola AU - Iretiola B Fajolu AU - Clare Gilbert AU - Bolutife A Olusanya AU - Oluwatoyin H Onakpoya AU - Chinyelu N Ezisi AU - Kareem O Musa AU - Robison Vernon Paul Chan AU - Valentina W Okeigbemen AU - Rilwan C Muhammad AU - Aeesha N J Malik AU - Adedayo O Adio AU - Olubunmi T Bodunde AU - Abdulkadir L Rafindadi AU - Tunji S Oluleye AU - Olukemi O Tongo AU - Sarat A Badmus AU - Olufunmilayo V Adebara AU - Tapas Ranjan Padhi AU - Beatrice N Ezenwa AU - Tokunbo S Obajolowo AU - Lateefat B Olokoba AU - Victoria A Olatunji AU - Yewande Olubunmi Babalola AU - Mary O Ugalahi AU - Adetunji Adenekan AU - Omotayo O Adesiyun AU - Jagdish Sahoo AU - Marilyn T Miller AU - Odarosa M Uhumwangho AU - Adeduntan S Olagbenro AU - Ebunoluwa A Adejuyigbe AU - Chinyere V C Ezeaka AU - Olugbenga Mokuolu AU - Tinuade A Ogunlesi AU - Olusoga B Ogunfowora AU - Isa Abdulkadir AU - Fatima L Abdullahi AU - Abosede T Fabiyi AU - Laila H L Hassan AU - Aderonke M Baiyeroju AU - Peace I Opara AU - Kehinde Oladigbolu AU - Augusta U Eneh AU - Bassey E Fiebai AU - Fatima A Mahmud-Ajeigbe AU - Elijah N Peter AU - Hawwa S Abdullahi Y1 - 2021/08/01 UR - http://bmjophth.bmj.com/content/6/1/e000645.abstract N2 - Objectives Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) will become a major cause of blindness in Nigerian children unless screening and treatment services expand. This article aims to describe the collaborative activities undertaken to improve services for ROP between 2017 and 2020 as well as the outcome of these activities in Nigeria.Design Descriptive case study.Setting Neonatal intensive care units in Nigeria.Participants Staff providing services for ROP, and 723 preterm infants screened for ROP who fulfilled screening criteria (gestational age <34 weeks or birth weight ≤2000 g, or sickness criteria).Methods and analysis A WhatsApp group was initiated for Nigerian ophthalmologists and neonatologists in 2018. Members participated in a range of capacity-building, national and international collaborative activities between 2017 and 2018. A national protocol for ROP was developed for Nigeria and adopted in 2018; 1 year screening outcome data were collected and analysed. In 2019, an esurvey was used to collect service data from WhatsApp group members for 2017–2018 and to assess challenges in service provision.Results In 2017 only six of the 84 public neonatal units in Nigeria provided ROP services; this number had increased to 20 by 2018. Of the 723 babies screened in 10 units over a year, 127 (17.6%) developed any ROP; and 29 (22.8%) developed type 1 ROP. Only 13 (44.8%) babies were treated, most by intravitreal bevacizumab. The screening criteria were revised in 2020. Challenges included lack of equipment to regulate oxygen and to document and treat ROP, and lack of data systems.Conclusion ROP screening coverage and quality improved after national and international collaborative efforts. To scale up and improve services, equipment for neonatal care and ROP treatment is urgently needed, as well as systems to monitor data. Ongoing advocacy is also essential.Data are available upon reasonable request. ER -