NNPC foundation offers 1,000 Bayelsans free cataract surgery
The Nigeria National Petroleum Company Foundation has embarked on a free cataract screening and surgery programme to restore sight to over 1,000 persons in Bayelsa State.
It took place on Monday at the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa, and the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital, Okolobiri, in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
Managing Director of NNPC Foundation, Mrs. Emmanuella Arukwe, said the intervention was aimed at combating widespread vision impairment caused by cataracts affecting many Nigerians.
Arukwe, who was represented by the Manager, Healthcare Programme of NNPC Foundation, Jude Ayalogu, said the intervention, which was being replicated across the six geopolitical zones aimed 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 Organisation, nearly 50 per cent 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 because they cannot afford or access the care they need.
“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 recognise that sight is more than just a sense; it is a fundamental pillar of human dignity and opportunity. This understanding forms the foundation of our outreach programme.
“Through this initiative, we aim to provide free cataract screenings, surgeries, and public education about eye health. It is our expectation that this effort will help to restore sight to up to 6,000 individuals in the country, 1,000 in each of the 6 geopolitical zones.
“We have already hit this target with the South-West geopolitical zone where we have concluded the programme earlier in the year.
“This step is in addition to the several healthcare initiatives NNPC Foundation has undertaken in the past two years, including 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 of the country and medical outreach for treatment of non-communicable diseases and distribution of medical consumables to up to 450 persons in Garki village, Abuja.”
The Chief Medical Director, Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa, Dr. James Omietimi, explained that cataracts is the leading cause of reversible blindness, prevalent with ageing.
Omietimi urged members of the public to avail themselves of the opportunity of the NNPC Foundation’s free cataract screening and extraction programme.
He commended the foundation for the gesture, noting that surgery for the cataract at public hospitals costs between N100,000 and N150,000, while private health centres charge more than N300,000.
One of the beneficiaries, Highness Opokuni, aged 60, a father of three, said he has been living with cataracts for two years, which had significantly affected his finances.
He expressed gratitude to the NNPC Foundation, describing the initiative as a lifeline for those unable to afford cataract treatment.
Also in attendance were Bayelsa First Lady Dr Gloria Diri, the state Commissioner for Health, Prof Seyefa Brisibe, and his Information, Orientation and Strategy counterpart, Ebiuwou Koku-Obiyai.
