In a landmark healthcare initiative, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Foundation Ltd)Gte has launched a programme offering 1,000 free cataract and extraction surgeries in the South-West geopolitical zone.
The exercise is being held at the Federal Medical Center (FMC), in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital.
The initiative is aimed to tackle the prevalent issue of vision impairment caused by cataracts, a condition responsible for nearly half of blindness cases in Nigeria.
In her remarks,the Managing Director, NNPC Foundation Ltd/Gte, Barr. Emmanuella N. Arukwe, represented by the Deputy Manager of special Projects at the NNPC Foundation, Mrs. Teniola Abu, stated that the initiative is a significant stride in the corporation’s commitment to improving lives and enhancing the health of the communities.
Arukwe added that the programme embodies its commitment to building a society where no one is left behind.
“It aligns with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3—Good Health and Well-being, and SDG 10.
“This is more than a health issue. it is a social and economic crisis, as vision loss directly affects productivity, independence, and overall quality of life”, she said.
Speaking with newsmen on the sideline of the event, the Consultant Coordinator, Dr. Hanne Amugo noted that the surgical procedures will commence immediately after screening, saying that the exercise is part of the foundation social responsibility to the citizens.
“In Ogun State, we have screened over 600 individuals, and in Lagos, we have already screened over 100. We may surpass our initial projection of 1,000, with over 700 screened so far, and the screening process is ongoing.
“Surgical procedures have also commenced, with over 100 successful operations performed,” she added.
Meanwhile, the Head of Department, Opthamology at FMC, Dr. Peter Abikoye, advised patients to always check with the facility to prevent blindness, saying that early detection is key to cure
“Cataract is not a curse, it comes with age. It is a natural phenomenon that can however cause total blindness, making this initiative a vital lifeline for those affected.
“We can see the impact that NNPC foundation is doing for people in this country, we hope and we pray that things like this that will help the poor masses will continue.
“There are many conditions that causes blindness as a professional we classify them in to two, we have those that causes reversible blindness and there are those that cause irreversible blindness.
“In the cause of screening, we encountered three children two of them are 1 year old , and the other one is five years old . It’s a good thing for those children.
“One of the women narrated her experiences, she has been referred to UCH from general hospital Ijaye since last year , when she got to UCH, the cost of that surgery, is around Two hundred and fifty thousand naira. Surgery for children are more expensive than surgery for adults .
“That was why she came back here , ordinarily we don’t undertake such surgery, but when NNPC foundation had about it , they told us we should do all we can to enroll them for this surgery.
Beneficiaries of the free cataract and extraction surgeries expressed gratitude for the life-changing initiative.
One of the beneficiaries, Mr. Showunmi Ebenezer, praised the Foundation for its intervention during a period of economic hardship.
“We thank God for this project; it’s a laudable one. Considering the current economic challenges in the country, this is a very difficult task, but we thank NNPC for making it possible,” he said.
Similarly, Mr. Oduntan Oluwaseun, who underwent the surgery, shared his relief and joy. “The surgery has been done, and I feel much better than before. Thanks to NNPC, I can see now, I couldn’t see anything before,” he said.
Another beneficiary, Mr. Omeye Christopher, described his experience as transformative. “I’m very well excited and grateful to God for this operation.
“I was shivering when they were about to perform the surgery, but I thank God it was done successfully. I had been spending so much money on this issue, but NNPC made it possible for me to have the surgery done,” he said.
