Eye Can See: Seplat Energy performs free eye surgery on 21 patients

…To set up 13 eye care centres in Edo, Delta

A fast-growing indigenous oil company, Seplat Energy has performed free eye surgery on 21 patients while 35 were scheduled for surgery for cataracts and other eye-related ailments

The Eye Can See Seplat JV Corporate Responsibility Initiative is aimed at providing quality health care to people in line with the Sustainable Development Goal, SDG.

In her opening remark, the incoming Head, External Affairs and Sustainability, Chioma Afe said the Seplat Energy Eye Can See initiative which started in 2012 and sustained over the years is designed to provide quality eye care and health-related lectures to ensure total well-being of the people in their host communities in Edo and Delta States.

“In line with our commitment to health, we started the Eye Can See programme. We found out that alot of people in our host communities had eye challenges as a result of hypertension, diabetes and some people had congenital birth defects which means they’ve been diagnosed having eye defects from birth and it has worsened over time. So we started this programme 12 years ago partnering with medical professionals and associations to see how we can work together to provide not just surgeries but eye treatments. Today, we’ve been able to open the eyes of 21 patients who had surgeries yesterday. Two of them were blind; they had bilateral blindness. But now they can see. And then we had 18 patients with cataracts and all sorts of eye issues. Some persons come here and it is just their eyesight that is failing so we provide prescription glasses as well”.

Afe also said that Seplat Energy is working with the ministries of health in Edo and Delta States to see that the programme continues in health centres in the 90(ninety) communities across the two states where 13 (thirteen) eye care centres will be set up ovoverne month to issue glasses, check eyesight and prescribe for surgery, check blood pressure, sugar levels and other underlying ailments.

Afe noted that Seplat Energy Eye Can See programme in the eye care centres will accommodate as many people as they can get daily.

The Director of Energy, Effiong Okon in his welcome address said that Edo State is one of their investment destinations adding that Seplat Energy is a purpose-driven company committed to sustaining this program which started in 2012.

While commending the outgoing Head, of External Affairs and Sustainability, Chioma Nwanchukwu who has been very key to driving the programme over the years, Effiong added that the programme will outlive the persons present at the programme.

Managing Director, NNPC Exploration and Production Limited represented by Emily Ajaikaye in a goodwill message said their partnership with Seplat Energy to provide free eye treatment for various eye diseases to their host engages experts in the field to ensure quality health care delivery.

The Manager, Corporate Social Responsibility, Seplat, Esther Acha who conducted guest round the various stages of checks the patient go through to ensure they are being offered the right treatment said that most of these eye ailments come from High Blood Pressure, BP, and Diabetes hence their blood pressure and sugar levels are also being check before they get to the Optometrists and Ophthalmologists for the eye test.

She also showed guests to the counselling section where medical personnel talk to patients about the need to go to the hospital for checks and finally to the drugs and eyeglasses dispensary section.

Unveiling the surgeries performed on patients, Dr Isaiah declared that all the surgeries were successful as all the patients were happy seeing their vision restored.

One of the patients, Mr Osagie Roland who was overwhelmed with happiness when his eye was being unveiled after surgery noted that he went through the same surgery elsewhere but was not successful.

Mrs Juliet Amadasun thanked Seplat and NNPC Limited for the free eye treatment stressing that people like her cannot afford such treatment.