Chioma disclosed this in Benin, the Edo State capital during the organisation’s free medical care termed “Eye Can See”, organised in collaboration with its partner, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation exploration and production.
She said the initiative was designed to ensure the provision of eye care and visual treatment for cataracts and other eye problems among the members of its host communities of Edo and Delta states.
“As part of our corporate social responsibility to host communities, we started the free eye care initiative in 2012 and directly, we have screened 96,000 patients in communities of Edo and Delta states.
“We have performed surgery on over 4,218 patients in the last 12 years, while over 45,000 have been given reading glasses. At this year’s programme, we performed 21 eye surgery successfully and 35 others have been scheduled for surgery.”
Chioma explained that this year’s programme was had in about 90 communities and in 13 different centres in Edo and Delta states, adding that the exercise would run for one month.
She said the programme in collaboration with its partners seeks to achieve quality healthcare for host communities by providing a platform for managing and referring patients living with hypertension and diabetes which are underline factors that also lead to an eye problems.
Also speaking, Director, New Energy, Seplat Energy Plc, Effiong Okon, said the free treatment under Seplat’s social development priority is to improve access to energy in local communities, increase community employment, forester local entrepreneurship, health and education.
On her part, Deputy Manager Community Relations, Mrs AJakaye Emily Ladi, who represented the Managing Director of NNPC E & P Limited, Ali Zarah, said the program was designed to provide free eye care, visual aid and surgical treatment for cataracts, glaucoma and other eye diseases within the NNPC E&P Limited/Seplat operational communities.
Meanwhile, a representative of Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, Chief Stanley Obamwonyi, while commending Seplat Energy for the programme, urged them to sustain it for the benefit of the host communities and other stakeholders.
