Writing By Daniel Karlmax, Editing By Godwin Duru
The Kaduna State Government has expressed its readiness to partner with relevant stakeholders to bring life-changing health services closer to the people at the grassroots.
Governor Uba Sani made this known during the flag-off of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Foundation’s one thousand free cataract screening and extraction program for the North West, held at the Hajiya Gambo Sawaba General Hospital, Zaria.
Represented by the Commissioner for Health, Hajiya Umma K. Ahmed, the Governor said the outreach aligns with his administration’s health vision, which prioritizes access to equitable and quality healthcare services for all residents of the state.
He reaffirmed his commitment to achieving universal health coverage and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), aimed at ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for people of all ages.
The Governor appreciated the NNPC Foundation for its invaluable intervention, noting that the humanitarian initiative is not only restoring sight but also hope, dignity, and productivity.
While encouraging beneficiaries to make the best use of the opportunity, he expressed optimism that the program would mark the beginning of a brighter future for them and their families.
In her address, the Managing Director of the NNPC Foundation, Mrs. Emmanuella N. Arukwe, explained that the free cataract screenings and surgeries in the North West are part of a nationwide initiative launched across all six geo-political zones, targeting over six thousand recipients and beneficiaries.
Mrs. Arukwe said the initiative aims to address the high prevalence of vision impairment and blindness in the country, with cataracts being the leading cause of blindness globally.
Describing sight as a key economic index, she emphasized that restoring vision would enhance productivity both at home and in the workplace, thereby contributing to the country’s socio-economic development.
She noted that the North West program in Zaria is running concurrently with similar initiatives in the North Central and North East, adding that the exercise had already concluded successfully in the South West, South East, and South South.
“NNPC Foundation is the social impact arm of NNPC Limited, and we are here today flagging off the one thousand free cataract program in the North West zone of Nigeria. This project is being launched across the six geo-political zones, and we expect to have over six thousand recipients of these cataract surgeries.
“We are very happy with what we are seeing so far. We’ve gone around and seen that a lot of people are here. I’m quite excited that we are making an impact. Cataract is one of the leading causes of blindness, and it’s quite preventable.
“At the NNPC Foundation, we implement a range of initiatives spanning health, education, the environment, access to energy, and empowerment. This is one of our key projects, in addition to others such as cancer screening, glaucoma treatment, cardiac surgery, and general medical outreach.
“We are excited that many people will have their sight restored, and that will benefit their families, communities, and the country at large,” she explained.
Some of the beneficiaries, including Abdul Ibrahim and Bilkisu Habib, who came with various eye conditions, expressed their gratitude and joy, noting that they felt significantly better after regaining their sight.
They offered prayers for the Foundation’s continued success and pledged to keep the organization and its staff in their prayers.
Flagging off the exercise, His Royal Highness, the Emir of Zazzau, Malam Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli, expressed his appreciation to the NNPC Foundation for the humanitarian initiative.
He urged the Foundation to always prioritize vulnerable communities in its thematic areas of focus, which include education, health, empowerment, and the environment, to promote the sustainable development of the country.
Daniel Karlmax
