A recent outreach program organized by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd (NNPC) and Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Ltd (SNEPCo) as part of their Vision First initiative has brought joy to over 2,000 individuals in a Lagos community, with many beneficiaries testifying to restored sight after receiving medical attention.
The five-day outreach, which took place in the Mushin Local Council Development Area, was the fourth in Lagos since the introduction of the Vision First initiative in 2022. During the program, a medical team performed 245 eye surgeries, including 198 cataract and 47 Pterygium surgeries.
Additionally, 1,992 individuals received laboratory services, while 1,863 patients were dispensed drugs at the pharmacy. Nearly 1,652 people also received general consultation.
Beneficiaries of the program expressed gratitude for the life-changing impact of the medical intervention. Ademola Alabi Joshua, who underwent cataract surgery, said, "Now I can see clearly, I can see my beautiful wife again, after not being able to see her for some years very well. I am really happy."
Another beneficiary, Mrs. Taiwo Onogu, who was initially billed N1.4 million for eye surgery, thanked the organizers for providing the procedure free of charge. She said, "When I got here, my first eye was operated on, and I discovered that the second day I came, I could see very clearly, so I decided to go for the second eye, which was also operated on yesterday, and today I discovered that my sight was regained back to normal. Thank you so much."
The Vision First initiative aims to combat avoidable visual impairment through early diagnosis and treatment. According to the National Eye Health Policy 2019, blindness in three out of four people in Nigeria is preventable.
The Managing Director of SNEPCo, Ronald Adams, commented on the impact of the program, saying, "Vision is an important part of life, and we're pleased at the testimonies from Mushin, which were the same positive feedback from the three earlier sessions. With the support of NNPC and co-venture partners, we will continue to implement impactful social investments which have been an integral part of our operations since we pioneered deep-water oil production at Bonga in 2005."
The outreach is part of the companies' commitment to improving the health and well-being of communities in the Niger Delta region. Since 2022, the Vision First initiative has reached over 6,000 people, performed over 400 eye surgeries, and distributed more than 2,000 eyeglasses.
Beneficiaries of the program expressed gratitude for the life-changing impact of the medical intervention. Ademola Alabi Joshua, who underwent cataract surgery, said, "Now I can see clearly, I can see my beautiful wife again, after not being able to see her for some years very well. I am really happy."
Another beneficiary, Mrs. Taiwo Onogu, who was initially billed N1.4 million for eye surgery, thanked the organizers for providing the procedure free of charge. She said, "When I got here, my first eye was operated on, and I discovered that the second day I came, I could see very clearly, so I decided to go for the second eye, which was also operated on yesterday, and today I discovered that my sight was regained back to normal. Thank you so much."
The Vision First initiative aims to combat avoidable visual impairment through early diagnosis and treatment. According to the National Eye Health Policy 2019, blindness in three out of four people in Nigeria is preventable.
The Managing Director of SNEPCo, Ronald Adams, commented on the impact of the program, saying, "Vision is an important part of life, and we're pleased at the testimonies from Mushin, which were the same positive feedback from the three earlier sessions. With the support of NNPC and co-venture partners, we will continue to implement impactful social investments which have been an integral part of our operations since we pioneered deep-water oil production at Bonga in 2005."
The outreach is part of the companies' commitment to improving the health and well-being of communities in the Niger Delta region. Since 2022, the Vision First initiative has reached over 6,000 people, performed over 400 eye surgeries, and distributed more than 2,000 eyeglasses.
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