Kwara State House of Assembly has passed into law, the Child Protection Bill which seeks to provide compulsory free eye screening for children aged between one and five years.

The bill which was sent to the House by Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed in September 2013 was passed after the adoption of the report of the committee on health and environment.

Hon. Suleiman Sunaboro who presented the report on behalf of the chairman of the committee, Hon. Mande Aliyu, told the House that all stakeholders invited for public hearing on the bill called for its passage.  He said the passage became necessary to provide free eye screening for children for early identification and referral of sight impairments to avoid blindness.

Among the provisions of the law is that no child should be admitted into public or private pre-primary or primary school without a certificate of eye screening. The law also stipulates that any person or group of persons who discourage children from undergoing the free eye screening would be liable for one month imprisonment or a fine not exceeding N25,000.