Yemisi Izuora
Nearly 3,000 people in Badagry Local Government Area of Lagos State benefitted from the latest edition of the Vision First initiative of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) and Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited (SNEPCo) which held there last week.
Some 38 patients had surgeries which restored their sights on the first day alone. The beneficiaries thanked NNPC/SNEPCo for the treatment, saying the restoration of their sights would help reintegrate them into society.
A total of 2,297 people were seen by the medical team of which 1,458 had eye care services with 154 surgeries for cataract and 878 spectacles dispensed. This was in addition to more than 200 general surgeries. There were long queues as people turned out early from different parts of the local government area to take advantage of the services in the five-day outreach.
SNEPCo Managing Director Ronald Adams commented: “We believe that caring for people goes beyond business; it is a responsibility and a privilege. That is why we remain committed to supporting initiatives that strengthen communities and create lasting impact.”
The Badagry outreach was the 6th since the inception of the Vision First initiative in 2022. Late last year, the first session outside Lagos held in Asaba, Delta State where nearly 2,000 people received healthcare.
The Vision First programme incorporates other aspects of health care such as cardiovascular screening, consultations and treatment for mild and chronic illnesses, laboratory services, pharmaceutical services and distribution of insecticide-treated nets.
The programme has been delivered in collaboration with Kolmarg Eyesight Foundation, an NGO based in Jos, Plateau State, which aims “to provide comprehensive eye care to the poor and underprivileged in Sub-Saharan Africa.”
SNEPCo which pioneered deepwater oil production in Nigeria through the Bonga field in 2005, also supports the socio-economic development of the country through investments in education, health, employment generation and infrastructural development.