About 700 individuals, including three minors, have benefited from the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) free cataract surgery programme in Ogun State, bringing relief to those who had been grappling with vision impairment.

The surgeries, carried out at the Ophthalmology Centre of the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Idi-Aba, Abeokuta, are part of NNPCL’s broader initiative to restore sight for 1,000 individuals across the South-West region.

The Guardian learnt that the programme, which commenced in December, has so far recorded over 1,000 beneficiaries in the region.

According to the 2018 Nigerian National Blindness and Visual Impairment Survey, 7.2 per cent of Nigerians aged 40 and above suffer from cataracts, with 1.8 per cent experiencing blindness as a result. Cataracts, characterised by clouding of the eye lens, remain a leading cause of blindness in Nigeria and are expected to increase with the ageing population.

Among the beneficiaries were three minors, two of whom were born with the condition, while one developed it due to illness.

Mrs Adebisi Odunuga, mother of five-year-old Iremide Kasali, shared her emotional journey. She revealed that her daughter had been blind from birth, and the family faced financial challenges in seeking treatment.

“We were asked to pay N2.2 million at a private clinic and couldn’t afford it. But we were informed about the NNPCL free surgery, and today my daughter’s sight has been restored,” she said tearfully.

Another beneficiary, Mr Isaac Ayanwale, expressed gratitude to the organisers, noting that he had struggled to afford the surgery before hearing about the initiative on the radio.

The programme, managed by the NNPC Foundation, aims to combat vision impairment caused by cataracts, a condition responsible for nearly 50 per cent of blindness in Nigeria, according to the World Health Organisation.

Speaking at the event, Managing Director of the foundation, Mrs Emmanuella Arukwe, represented by Deputy Manager of Special Projects, Mrs Teniola Abu, said the initiative addresses not just a health issue but also a social and economic challenge.

The surgeries were conducted under the leadership of Prof Grace Feyisayo Adepoju and Dr Peter Abikoye, Head of FMC’s Ophthalmology Department, who highlighted the meticulous process involved in paediatric ophthalmology.

The foundation plans to expand the programme to other geopolitical zones in the coming months, targeting 1,000 patients in each region.