Eye Health Workforce Planning and Distribution in South South Nigeria: A Situational Analysis

Adequate distribution of a trained eye health workforce is a foundational requirement for equitable access to ophthalmic care, yet workforce planning in Nigeria's South South geopolitical zone remains ad hoc and poorly documented. This study conducts a situational analysis of the eye health workforce in the six states of South South Nigeria, comprising Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, and Rivers States. A cross-sectional workforce census design will be employed. Data on all ophthalmologists, optometrists, ophthalmic nurses, and ophthalmic technicians working in public and private facilities will be obtained from state ministries of health, professional registering councils, and primary health care development agencies. Workforce density ratios per 100,000 population will be calculated and compared against WHO recommended thresholds and national targets. Geographic distribution patterns and sector of practice will be mapped. The WHO recommends one ophthalmologist per 250,000 population for developing countries, a benchmark currently unmet across most South South states. Urban concentration of specialists, particularly in Port Harcourt and Benin City, leaves rural and riverine communities severely underserved. This study provides the first comprehensive workforce mapping exercise for South South Nigeria and supplies evidence for the Federal Ministry of Health's Human Resources for Health Strategic Plan. Recommendations will address decentralised postgraduate training, rural service incentives, task delegation frameworks, and partnerships with faith-based health facilities. Rational workforce planning informed by accurate situational data is the prerequisite for achieving equity in ophthalmic care across the region. Keywords: eye health workforce, workforce planning, South South Nigeria, ophthalmologist distribution, human resources