By Our Reporter
The NNPC Foundation has launched a free cataract screening and surgery initiative, aiming to restore sight to over 1,000 individuals, including three children born blind.
The program, which began on Wednesday at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Abeokuta, Ogun State, has already screened more than 650 people, with 160 successful cataract extraction surgeries completed.
Dr. Peter Abikoye, Consultant Ophthalmologist and Head of the Ophthalmology Unit at FMC Abeokuta, leads the team of specialists performing the surgeries. He explained that cataracts are a leading cause of reversible blindness, often associated with old age and diabetes. Regarding the three children born blind, aged one, seven, and one, he noted that congenital cataracts could be to blame, with certain maternal health conditions or metabolic disorders during pregnancy contributing to the condition.
One of the beneficiaries, 50-year-old teacher Mr. Sowunmi Ebenezer Oluwole, shared how cataracts had affected his productivity and finances for three years. He expressed his gratitude for the NNPC Foundation’s initiative, calling it a lifeline for those unable to afford treatment.
At the event’s flag-off, attended by dignitaries including the Olowu of Owu Kingdom, Professor (Oba) Saka Adelola Matemilola, and FMC Abeokuta’s Chief Medical Director, Prof. Adewale Musa Olomu, Mrs. Emmanuella N. Arukwe, Managing Director of NNPC Foundation, highlighted the importance of the intervention in addressing cataract-induced vision impairment in Nigeria.
Mrs. Arukwe, represented by Dr. Hanne Amugo, explained that the program would be expanded across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, aiming to restore sight to 6,000 underserved Nigerians. She emphasized that cataracts are a leading cause of blindness, with nearly half of blindness cases in Nigeria attributed to the condition. Limited access to eye care in underserved regions exacerbates the problem, affecting productivity and quality of life.
She added, “Through this program, we aim to restore sight to 1,000 individuals in the Southwest, transforming lives by enabling individuals to regain their livelihoods, pursue education, and experience the joys of life once again.”
The NNPC Foundation has spearheaded numerous healthcare initiatives in the past 20 months, including a pilot eye screening and glaucoma treatment program in Abuja, cancer screenings for over 3,440 individuals across the country, and medical outreach for non-commun