…. eye care programme targets over 5,000 beneficiaries in 5 days

Oredola Adeola

Thousands of Lagos residents are expected to benefit from the fourth edition of Vision First, the flagship five-day health programme by NNPC and SNEPCo, which began on July 7 in Mushin Local Council Development Area, with over 700 people receiving various medical services and more than 40 eye surgeries conducted on the first day.

Ronald Adams, SNEPCo Managing Director, confirmed this through a speech delivered by Abubakar Ahmed, Head of Corporate Relations, during the formal launch held on Tuesday, July 8, which was attended by officials from NNPC, SNEPCo, the Lagos State Government, Mushin Local Council, and community leaders.

According to Adams, the “Vision First” health programme by NNPC and SNEPCo offers beneficiaries access to eye and cardiovascular screenings, surgeries, and general health education.

The five-day outreach, organised in partnership with Kolmarg Eyesight Foundation, is supported by the Bonga North Project as part of its social investment commitments.

“This year’s outreach is particularly special, as it is backed by the Bonga North Project following the Final Investment Decision earlier this year,” he noted.

“We are beginning to see the benefits materialise, starting with impactful initiatives like this that deliver direct and lasting value to communities.”

Oluwaseyi Omotowa, Chief Upstream Investment Officer of the National Upstream Investment Management Services (NUIMS), represented by Nkechi Anaedobe, Head of Business Services, emphasised that the programme reflects the partners’ shared commitment to improving community health and well-being through accessible, quality healthcare.

Dr. Olukorede Adenuga, Director of Kolmarg Eyesight Foundation, and Emmanuel Bamigboye, Chairman of Mushin Local Council Development Area, expressed their satisfaction in partnering with NNPC, SNEPCo, and co-venture partners—Nigerian Agip Exploration Limited, TotalEnergies Nigeria, and Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria (Deepwater) Ltd—to deliver much-needed healthcare services directly to the people.

Since its launch in 2022, the *Vision First* initiative has reached over 4,000 individuals, distributed nearly 2,000 eyeglasses, and provided close to 200 life-changing vision-restoring surgeries, including cataract removals and other corrective procedures.

Healthcare delivery is just one aspect of the broader social investment efforts by NNPC, SNEPCo, and their partners, which also include interventions in internally displaced persons’ camps in Northeast Nigeria, the rehabilitation of hospital wards and schools, as well as the provision of scholarships and donation of cancer treatment equipment.