NNPC Foundation restores sight to 500 person in Niger State.
From Our Correspondent.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Foundation has conducted a free eye cataract surgery programme for 500 individuals in Niger State.
The initiative is part of the foundation’s broader effort to restore vision to 6,000 Nigerians across the six geopolitical zones.
The Managing Director of NNPC Foundation,
Emmanuella Arukwe, disclosed this during the free eye cataract surgery programme at the Comprehensive Health Centre, Bosso Low Cost in Minna on Friday.
Mrs Emmanuella Arukwe who was represented at the programme by Adamu Sani, Team Leader, NNPC Foundation, said the foundation believe in building a society where no one is left behind, and this programme is a testament to that commitment.
She said the program, which has already held in the South-West, South-East, and South-South geopolitical zones, aims to provide free cataract screenings, surgeries, and public education about eye health.
She said the initiative is part of the foundation’s broader effort to restore vision to 6,000 Nigerians across the six geopolitical zones.
According to Arukwe, cataracts account for nearly 50% of blindness cases in Nigeria, and limited access to quality eye care exacerbates this challenge.
In his remarks, Dr. Bello Tukur, Commissioner of Secondary and Tertiary Health in Niger State, revealed that the state has a backlog of 5,000 individuals affected by cataracts, with an additional 500 cases reported annually.
He emphasized that the program is open to everyone, with no criteria for selection, and that beneficiaries are being treated on a first-come, first-served basis.
Tukur, however, appealed to the NNPC Foundation to assist the state in the area of provision of equipment, such as microscopes, to help reduce the backlog.
Dr. Halima Isah, Chairperson of the Eye Care program in Niger, disclosed that 200 beneficiaries will come from Minna, while the remaining 300 will be from Bida.
The Community Head of Bosso, Alhaji Abdullahi Sai’du, appreciated the NNPC Foundation for the intervention, saying the program has brought hope to people who had lost hope of seeing again.
Some of the beneficiaries who spoke, Fatima Mohammed Sallah, Maryam Suleiman, and Aisha Musa expressed gratitude to the foundation for restoring their sight.
They said the free eye cataract surgery has transformed their lives, enabling them to regain their independence, productivity, and quality of life.
