The NNPC Foundation has introduced healthcare initiative, offering 1,000 free cataract surgeries to the citizens of Nigeria’s South-South region. The program, which will be conducted from March 31 to April 4, 2025, with operations commencing on April 7, aims to restore vision and improve the quality of life for those suffering from vision loss due to cataracts a leading cause of blindness in Nigeria.
The programme shall take place in three states: Bayelsa, Rivers, and Akwa Ibom.
In Bayelsa, the programme shall take place at the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa, from March 31st to April 4th.
Rivers State shall run its programme concurrently at Meridian Hospital, 21 Igbokwe Street, D/Line, Port Harcourt.
In Akwa Ibom, Kingdom Healthcare Association Secretariat in Opobo will provide services between April 2 and April 3.
This follows a successful campaign carried out in the South-West region earlier this year when 1,000 patients were provided with similar interventions, of which 160 were successful surgeries performed in Ogun State.
Helping Our Nation Overcome a Health Challenge
Cataracts remain a significant public health issue in Nigeria, with the Nigeria National Blindness and Visual Impairment Survey showing a cataract surgical coverage of just 38.3%, one of the lowest levels anywhere in the world. The NNPC Foundation initiative slots into the overall drive towards bridging this gap through partnership with local healthcare professionals like the Akwa Ibom State Primary Healthcare Development Agency to make access to quality medical care possible.
“Blindness is preventable. Come and restore your vision,” the NNPC Foundation urged in a statement on X, calling on citizens to take advantage of the free screenings and surgeries. The initiative has already gained widespread acclaim, with X users commending the foundation for its life-altering endeavors. “Restoring eyesight is restoring hope. Well done to the NNPC Foundation,” social media user Chelsea Bae tweeted.
This is only one part of the NNPC Foundation’s broader mission to expand its work restoring sight across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones in the hope of helping 6,000 Nigerians in the coming months.
For more information, residents are invited to go to the assigned medical centers during the program dates and spread the word to those requiring assistance.
