Cataract: Beneficiaries commend NNPC Foundation for free surgeries
Cataract
By Kemi Akintokun
Some beneficiaries at the ongoing free cataract extraction surgeries sponsored by the the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd. Foundation have commended the initiative.
The beneficiaries spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the Gbagada General Hospital, centre for some of the free surgeries in Lagos state.
NAN reports that the programme, with the theme “Blindness can be avoided”, is initiated by the foundation to offer free cataracts extraction surgeries to 1,000 beneficiaries in the South-West.
Cataract is a cloudy area in the eye’s lens that can cause blurred or cloudy vision, and it’s a common cause of blindness and visual impairment.
According to the World Health Organisation, cataracts affect approximately 65.2 million people and cause moderate to severe vision loss in over 80 per cent cases.
Mr Raheem Ajani, a septuagenarian, described the free cataract surgery as a great relief to him.
According to Ajani, all efforts to raise money to undergo surgery to improve his sight in the last two years did not yield any result.
“I have been having problem with my eye for the past three years and I have not been able to go for surgery because I was asked to bring N250,000 at the hospital.
“What NNPC Foundation has done has brought a great relief to me and many others who can’t afford the surgery,” he said.
Also, Mrs Fatimah Lawal, 57, a trader who also benefited from the surgery, expressed her gratitude to the organisation sponsoring the programme with the aim to restore the sights of beneficiaries.
“I’m happy to be among the people who benefitted from this free surgery.
I’m a petty trader. It will take me a long time to gather money for a surgery like this.
“We were also given drugs and asked to come back for post-surgery evaluation. This is a highly commendable gesture from NNPC to Nigerians,” she said.
Mr Stephen Mbanefo, a trader at the popular Trade Fair Market in Lagos, told NAN that he got hint of the programme from his children and decided to take advantage of it.
“At first, when my daughter told me about the free cataracts surgeries, I thought we will still pay a certain amount.
“But, everything has been free, from screening to surgery,” he said.
NAN reports that residents from different parts of Lagos who were early screened at Ikeja and Itire-Ikate turned out in large numbers to undergo the surgery.
An official of NNPC who spoke to NAN, said over 400 surgeries had been done in Ogun, adding that Lagos would make up the target for 1,000 beneficiaries.
The surgeries will end on Jan. 17 (NAN)www.nannews.ng
Edited by Vivian Ihechu
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