Minna: The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Foundation has successfully executed a free eye cataract surgery programme, enabling 500 individuals in Niger State to reclaim their sight. This initiative underscores the foundation's commitment to addressing preventable blindness in the region.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Mrs Emmanuella Arukwe, Managing Director of the NNPC Foundation, announced the development during the programme in Minna. Represented by Alhaji Adamu Sani, Team Leader of the Foundation, Arukwe highlighted that this effort is part of a broader mission to restore vision to 6,000 Nigerians across the six geopolitical zones, with 1,000 beneficiaries earmarked for the North-Central Zone.
"We believe in building a society where no one is left behind, and this programme is a testament to that commitment," Arukwe explained. She also noted that the initiative, already conducted in the South-West, South-East, and South-South Zones, includes free cataract screenings, surgeries, and public education on eye health.
Cataracts account for nearly 50 percent of blindness cases in Nigeria, a situation exacerbated by the lack of access to quality and affordable eye care. Dr Bello Tukur, Niger State Commissioner for Secondary and Tertiary Health, pointed out the state's backlog of 5,000 cataract patients, with 500 new cases annually. He emphasized that the programme welcomes all, operating on a first-come, first-served basis, and urged the NNPC Foundation to assist with essential equipment like microscopes to alleviate the backlog.
Dr Halima Isah, Chairperson of the Eye Care Programme in Niger, mentioned that the beneficiaries included 200 individuals from Minna and 300 from Bida. Community Head of Bosso, Alhaji Abdullahi Sai'du, expressed gratitude for the foundation's intervention, acknowledging the renewed hope it provided to those who had lost their vision.
Beneficiaries like Fatima Sallah, Maryam Suleiman, and Aisha Musa shared their appreciation for the foundation's efforts, describing the surgeries as life-changing, instrumental in regaining their independence and improving their quality of life.