A combined photo of patients who regained their sights during NNPC Cataract Campaign in South West
By Shade Damiro
Following a successful campaign in the South West geo-political zone where over 1, 000 people, including two minors regained their sights, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited ( NNPC Ltd.) is moving to restore the sight of about 6,000 people across the country, by the end of first quarter.
The oil company, through its social arm, the NNPC Foundation Ltd/Gte, successfully undertook a free cataract screening and extraction campaign, aimed at addressing avoidable blindness caused by cataracts.
The medical team, led by Professor Grace Feyisayo Adepoju, performed surgeries on two minors, including 9-year-old Mohammed Lukman and 6-year-old Adeleye Maria, who had congenital cataract.
She said: “The Foundation has equally announced plans to extend the cataract campaign to the remaining five geopolitical zones, with the ambitious target of restoring over 6,000 sights by the end of the first quarter of 2025.”
“NNPC Ltd., through its Foundation, is committed to improving healthcare access and supporting initiatives that have a direct impact on the well-being of Nigerians.
“The restoration of sight for these children is a testament to our dedication to creating lasting change,” she added
The beneficiaries, who are among the over 1,000 individuals whose sight has been restored through this programme in the South-West zone, include 800 patients in Ogun State and 200 in Lagos State.
Speaking on the development, the Managing Director of NNPC Foundation, Mrs. Emmanuella Arukwe, emphasized the importance of the programme in addressing health inequities across the country.
According to her, NNPC, through the Foundation, is committed to improving healthcare access and supporting initiatives that have a direct impact on the well-being of Nigerians.
The programme has not only restored sight but also renewed hope for countless families across Nigeria, including the family of five-year-old Iremide Kasali, who had been living with cataract-related blindness since early childhood.
Her mother shared her story, highlighting the financial constraints that previously prevented her daughter from receiving treatment.
The NNPC Foundation’s intervention has provided a lifeline for Iremide and her family, and the corporation has pledged to continue supporting the minors, especially the children, even after surgery to ensure full recovery and a return to normal life.
According to report, with over 1,000 successful surgeries already recorded in the South-West zone, the programme is not only restoring sight but also renewing hope for countless families across Nigeria.
