Planning and Evaluation of Community Eye Care Outreach Programmes in Sokoto State

Community eye care outreach programmes are critical platforms for extending ophthalmic services to underserved populations in northern Nigeria, yet their planning, implementation, and evaluation often lack systematic frameworks. This study evaluates the planning processes and outcomes of community eye care outreach programmes conducted by the Sokoto State Ministry of Health between 2020 and 2024. A programme evaluation design will be used, applying the Logic Model framework to assess inputs, activities, outputs, and outcomes. Data will be obtained from programme records, reports submitted to the Federal Ministry of Health, and key informant interviews with programme coordinators, ophthalmologists, community health officers, and community leaders. Quantitative metrics will include number of persons screened, conditions identified, surgeries performed, spectacles dispensed, and referrals completed. Qualitative data will capture implementation challenges, community reception, and lessons learned. Programme evaluations from comparable Nigerian state eye care programmes reveal persistent gaps in pre-outreach community mobilisation, surgical complication management, and post-outreach follow-up systems. This study provides a structured assessment of Sokoto State's outreach model and proposes a replicable planning template for future programmes. Recommendations will cover optimal community mobilisation timelines, multisectoral partnership frameworks, quality assurance for outreach surgical procedures, and integration of outreach data into the Health Management Information System. Systematic planning and evaluation are prerequisites for transforming periodic outreach activities into sustainable community-level eye care delivery systems. Keywords: community eye care, outreach programme, Sokoto State, programme evaluation, eye health