The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has said it is hoping to restore the sights of about 6,000 people across the country by the end of this year’s first quarter.
The company made the projection following the success it recorded in restoring the sights of 1,000 people, including two minors, in the Southwest.
The oil company, through its social arm, the NNPCL Foundation Limited/Gte, successfully undertook a free eye screening and extraction campaign aimed at addressing avoidable blindness caused by cataracts.
The medical team, led by Prof. Grace Feyisayo Adepoju, performed surgeries on two minors, including nine-year-old Mohammed Lukman and six-year-old Adeleye Maria, who had congenital cataract.
Prof. Adepoju 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.
‘The NNPC Limited, 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 sights for these children is a testament to our dedication to creating lasting change’.
The beneficiaries included 800 patients in Ogun State and 200 in Lagos State.
The Managing Director of NNPCL Foundation, Mrs. Emmanuella Arukwe, emphasised the importance of the programme in addressing health inequities across the country.
She said NNPCL, through the foundation, remained committed to improving healthcare access and supporting initiatives that have a direct impact on the well-being of Nigerians.
