Developing a Community Eye Health Worker Training Model for Rural Blindness Prevention in North East Nigeria: A Participatory Action Research Approach

North East Nigeria faces a severe shortage of eye care professionals in rural communities, exacerbated by decades of insecurity and displacement. Community eye health workers (CEHWs) represent a practical strategy for extending basic eye care reach, but evidence-based training models adapted to the specific context of the North East zone do not exist. This study develops and evaluates a CEHW training model for rural blindness prevention in North East Nigeria using a participatory action research (PAR) framework across three research cycles in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe States. In cycle one, community appraisals and focus group discussions with community members, local health authorities, and traditional leaders will identify contextual training needs and acceptable delivery formats. In cycle two, a contextualized CEHW training curriculum will be co-developed and piloted with 60 CEHWs. In cycle three, trained CEHWs will deliver services in their communities over six months, with outcomes evaluated through referral rates, uptake of eye care services, and community knowledge assessments. Reflective journals and iterative feedback loops will guide continuous curriculum refinement. This research makes an original methodological and programmatic contribution to task-shifting in eye health for conflict-affected populations and provides a replicable model for community eye care delivery in underserved rural settings in northern Nigeria. Keywords: community eye health workers, participatory action research, North East Nigeria, blindness prevention, task-shifting