4,000 Benefit From Seplat Free Eye Surgery In Edo, Delta Communities

No fewer than 4,218 patients have benefited from the Seplat Energy free eye surgery programme in 12 years.

This was disclosed in Benin by the Director, External Affair and Sustainability, Chioma Afe, the Edo State capital during the company’s free medical care programme titled, ‘Eye Can See’. The programme is in collaboration with its partner, the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Exploration and Production.

Chioma said the programme ensures that provision of eye care and visual treatment for cataracts and other eye problems are provided for members of its host communities of Edo and Delta states.

According to her, “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 further explained that this year’s programme is taking place in about 90 communities and 13 centres in Edo and Delta states. The programme will run for one month.

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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 underlining factors that also lead to an eye problem.

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 the company to sustain it for the benefit of the host communities and other stakeholders.