The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Foundation has successfully conducted a free cataract surgery program, providing 500 individuals in Niger State the opportunity to regain their sight.
Mrs. Emmanuella Arukwe, Managing Director of the NNPC Foundation, shared this update during the program in Minna on Friday. Arukwe, represented by Alhaji Adamu Sani, Team Leader of the Foundation, revealed that the initiative is part of a larger effort to restore vision to 6,000 Nigerians across the country’s six geopolitical zones.
“1,000 people from the North-Central zone will benefit from this program, which is just one step towards building a society where no one is left behind,” Arukwe emphasized.
The initiative, which has already been implemented in the South-West, South-East, and South-South zones, offers free cataract screenings, surgeries, and public education on eye health.
Arukwe also noted that cataracts are responsible for nearly 50% of blindness cases in Nigeria, with many individuals suffering from avoidable blindness due to limited access to quality and affordable eye care services.
During his remarks, Dr. Bello Tukur, Niger State Commissioner for Secondary and Tertiary Health, explained that the state faces a backlog of 5,000 cataract patients, with 500 new cases emerging each year. He added that the program was open to everyone and offered treatment on a first-come, first-served basis.
Tukur urged the NNPC Foundation to assist the state with essential equipment, such as microscopes, to help address the growing backlog of cataract cases.
Dr. Halima Isah, Chairperson of the Eye Care Program in Niger, also shared that the beneficiaries were selected, with 200 patients from Minna and 300 from Bida.
Alhaji Abdullahi Sai’du, the Community Head of Bosso, expressed deep gratitude to the foundation, stating that the program had restored hope to those who had lost their vision.
Several beneficiaries, including Fatima Sallah, Maryam Suleiman, and Aisha Musa, expressed their heartfelt thanks to the Foundation. They described the surgery as a life-changing experience, one that had enabled them to regain their independence and significantly improve their quality of life.
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