{
  "id": 9598131,
  "title": "NNPCL/Seplat Offers Free Eye Programme in A’Ibom",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/24/nnpcl-seplat-offers-free-eye-programme-in-aibom",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-09-24T12:39:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "This Day",
    "slug": "this-day",
    "url": "https://www.thisdaylive.com/2026/09/24/nnpcl-seplat-offers-free-eye-programme-in-aibom/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "More than six thousand individuals in Uyo, Eket, and Ibeno are set to receive complimentary eye care services, thanks to a joint initiative from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and Seplat Energy in Akwa Ibom. The week-long program, titled Eye Can See, aims to offer eye examinations, treatment, reading glasses, and surgery for eligible patients, marking the first such initiative in the state. Seplat Energy's Chairman, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, announced that this program is a fulfillment of a promise made to the Akwa Ibom State Government following Seplat Energy's acquisition of Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited assets. Udoma emphasized that Seplat Energy's commitment to community development extends beyond responsible operations to include meaningful social investments that yield lasting benefits. Seplat Energy's CEO, Effiong Okon, highlighted that the Eye Can See program, initiated in 2012 across Edo, Delta, and Imo states, has screened 130,771 patients, distributed 67,491 free pairs of glasses, and conducted 5,350 sight-restoring surgeries. In its first year of operation in Akwa Ibom, the program reached 13,726 beneficiaries, distributed 7,074 pairs of glasses, and performed 471 surgeries. Governor Umo Eno, alongside the Deputy Governor, praised the program for addressing a pressing need in the community, noting that cataract accounts for approximately 43% of blindness in Nigeria. The program's success underscores its capacity to reach people at scale, providing them with the opportunity to regain their sight, confidence, and potential. Beneficiary Rose Edenteghe, a teacher, expressed gratitude for the life-changing impact the surgery had on her ability to read, write, and move around independently, emphasizing the program's role in restoring dignity.",
  "summary": "Okon Bassey in Uyo More than 6,000 people across Uyo, Eket and Ibeno are expected to benefit from a free eye care programme sponsored by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}