NNPC Foundation Commences Free Cataract Surgeries For 1,000 In Bayelsa

Nigeria National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Foundation has commenced free cataract surgeries for 1,000 beneficiaries in Bayelsa.
The surgery followed an earlier screening programme which diagnosed persons with cataract and profiled them for surgery. The free surgeries were done at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Yenagoa and Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital, Okolobiri.
Mrs Emmanuela Arukwe, Managing Director of NNPC Foundation, said the intervention was to combat widespread issues of visual impairment caused by cataracts.
Arukwe who was represented by the Manager, Healthcare programme, Jude Ayalogu, said the intervention which is being replicated across the six geopolitical zones of the country aims to bring sight back to 6,000 indigent Nigerians.
She said, “Cataracts remain one of the leading causes of blindness globally. According to the World Health Organization, nearly 50 percent of blindness cases in Nigeria are caused by cataracts.
“In rural and underserved areas, limited access to quality eye care exacerbates this challenge and many individuals live with avoidable blindness.
“The challenge is not just a health issue – it is a social and economic crisis, as vision loss impacts productivity, independence, and overall quality of life.
“At NNPC Foundation, we recognize that sight is more than just a sense; it is a fundamental pillar of human dignity and opportunity,” Arukwe said.
“This step is in addition to the several healthcare initiatives NNPC Foundation has undertaken in the past two years.
“This includes a pilot eye screening and treatment for glaucoma for over 290 persons in Abuja, free cancer screening and counselling for about 3,440 individuals across the six geopolitical zones, and also medical outreach for treatment of non-communicable diseases and distribution of medical consumables to up to 450 persons in Garki village, Abuja,” she said.
The Chief Medical Director, Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa, Dr. James Omietimi noted that cataract was the leading cause of reversible blindness, prevalent among the ageing, and urged members of the public to avail themselves of the opportunity of the NNPC Foundation free cataract screening and extraction programme.
Omietimi commended the foundation for the gestures, noting that surgery for the cataract at public hospitals cost between N100,000 and N150,000 while private health centres charge more than N300,000.
One of the beneficiaries, Highness Opokuni, 60 said he has been lived with cataract for two years; saying that it had drained his finances.