In continuation of its humanitarian initiative, the NNPC Foundation is set to provide another 2,000 free cataract extraction surgeries to people in the South-South and South-East States of the country.
The surgeries will be conducted in the zones from March 31 to April , 2025.
According to the Foundation, the programme aims to address avoidable blindness and provide individuals with the opportunity to regain their sight.
Persecondnews reports that cataract is a leading cause of blindness in Nigeria, accounting for nearly 50% of cases in people aged 40 and above.
In 2020, almost 100 million people worldwide were blind or visually impaired due to cataracts while in Nigeria, twice as many women are cataract blind as men.
The free surgeries will be conducted in the following locations:
South East
– Abia State: March 31st – April 5th, 2025
– Ebonyi State: April 1st – April 4th, 2025
– Imo State: April 2nd – April 3rd, 2025
– Anambra State: April 2nd – April 3rd, 2025
South-South
-Bayelsa State: March 31st – April 4th, 2025
– Rivers State: March 31st – April 4th, 2025
– Akwa Ibom State: April 2nd – April 3rd, 2025
Persecondnews recalls that in January 2025, at least, a total of 160 cataract patients, including three children born with the disease were successfully operated upon when the NNPC Foundation Ltd/Gte flagged-off its Southwest free cataract screenings and extractive surgeries in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
The exercise, held at the Ophthalmology Center of the Federal Medical Centre , Abeokuta, Ogun State, witnessed the convergence of about 800 patients, who had earlier been screened and booked for sight restoration surgery targeted at 1, 000 patients from the zone.
The Managing Director, NNPC Foundation Ltd/Gte, Mrs. Emmanuella Arukwe, said at the flag-off ceremony that the medical outreach was to combat the widespread issue of vision impairment caused by cataracts that has severely impacted many Nigerians
Arukwe, who was represented by the foundations Deputy Manager on Special Projects, Mrs. Teniola Abu, noted that the Foundation, being the social impact arm of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited , was motivated into embarking on the outreach having understood that “vision is not merely a sense, but a fundamental enabler of human dignity and opportunity”.
“This understanding is at the core of our initiative. We are dedicated to creating sustainable, far-reaching initiatives.
“This programme embodies our commitment to building a society where no one is left behind. It aligns with the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3″.
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