Managing Director, Seplat West Limited, Ayodele Ola Tunde, has disclosed that over 90,000 persons have benefited from the Seplat Joint Venture and NNPC E&P Limited medical outreach for host communities in 12 years.

Represented by Base Manager, Western Asset, Seplat Energy, Emmanuel Otokhine, Tunde disclosed this on Wednesday during the free medical treatment the companies jointly organized for its host communities in Edo and Delta states at the palace of the Oba of Benin, Ewuare II.

He said, “Our medical outreach started in 2012 and we have done more than 90,000 surgeries and provided more than 45,000 eye glasses and drugs to beneficiaries.

“We don’t just treat eye defects nor do the surgery alone, we also try to take care of ailments that can lead to eye defects, such as diabetes and high blood pressure by providing drugs for such ailment.”

He explained that the medical outreach is a comprehensive programme Seplat, with its partners, offers to take care of the health needs of the people in their area of operation.

He said Seplat’s concern is not about the money spent on the exercise, but about the impact of the programme on its host communities, noting that the people who can’t afford medical care and eye surgery are taken care of.

On its part, Managing Director, NNPC E&P Limited, Nicolas Foucart, said the programme is designed to provide free eye care, visual aid and surgical treatment for cataract, glaucoma and other eye diseases as part of the partners’ Corporate Social Responsibility to host communities.

Represented by NEPL Community Liaison Officer, Mrs Faith Otitinor, Foucart said the beneficiaries were given eye glasses, surgery and drugs.

He added, “Over the years, we seek your royal blessings for the company’s continuous growth and progress in our oil and gas exploration pursuits and we partner with Seplat to roll out the ‘eye can see’ optical care programme for the communities.”

One of the beneficiaries, 57-year-old Stanley Akhere, commended Seplat for the free surgery, saying he has been to the hospital but lacked the money to carry out the surgery.

He enthused, “I thank Seplat for this programme because I am able to see again through their free medical care.”

Another beneficiary, 52-year-old Sandra Orosanye, said she visited the hospital for treatment but was asked to pay N200,000, adding, “So, when I heard that they are coming to treat people at the Oba Palace, I decide to rush here to do it for free.”