…291 traders receive free glaucoma screening
Over 3,441 persons have benefited from the free cancer screening intervention of a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) known as NNPC Foundation Limited.
One of the focus areas of the NNPC Foundation’s healthcare intervention is cancer in 2024.
The foundation has carried out free cancer screening campaigns across the country, according to its managing director, Mrs. Emmanuella Arukwe in a press statement yesterday.
The statement said: “Over 3,441 persons across the country have benefitted from the free screening intervention.”
The foundation has carried out free cancer screening campaigns across the country.
One of the Foundation’s free cancer screening campaigns tagged “Cancer Awareness and ZSX Screening” which held across the six geopolitical zones of the country with screening centres in Kaduna, Rivers, Ondo, Benue, Imo and Gombe States.
The campaign went beyond providing free screening for breast, cervical, and prostate cancer, to providing health education, workshops, and consultations with healthcare professionals aimed at empowering individuals to recognize early symptoms, adopt preventive health measures, and better understand the importance of regular screenings.
Explaining the foundation’s focus on cancer, Arukwe sought a collective battle against the ailment.
“The fight against cancer requires a collective effort and a commitment to ensuring accessible healthcare. This campaign is about more than just screening; it’s about saving lives, building awareness, and creating pathways to preventive care for Nigerians who need it most,” she said.
Speaking further, she said: “In a country of over 200 million people, too many still lack access to the early detection tools that could make a life-saving difference. NNPC Foundation is dedicated to addressing this critical gap by bringing cancer screenings directly to communities. Early detection is crucial to improving survival rates, and this campaign is a vital step towards that goal.”
The Foundation had earlier carried out a similar free cancer screening campaign in February 2024 in Abuja.
The objective of the free screening campaigns is to counter the trend of late-stage diagnoses, which occur frequently due to limited access to screening facilities, cultural stigmas, and insufficient awareness.
Cancer remains one of the most formidable health challenges in Nigeria, with over 79,000 cancer-related deaths annually, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
The most common cancers affecting Nigerian men include prostate and liver cancer, while women are predominantly impacted by breast and cervical cancers.
The Foundation’s intervention in the health sector is not restricted to the provision of free cancer screening.
Earlier in the year, it also carried out a medical outreach in Garki community in Abuja.
About 450 members of the community received health checkups, treatment, and medical consumables.
The Foundation also conducted a similar medical outreach programme at the Utako Market in Abuja which saw 291 traders benefit from the free screening for glaucoma.
NNPC Ltd.’s rejuvenating touch in the health sector also reached those with heart diseases.
The Foundation went into partnership with the Nigerian Cardiac Society provided free heart surgeries to 40 patients with various heart conditions in the course of the year.
The Foundation’s other health cum humanitarian interventions in the year also include the donation of over 20 trucks of food, water, medical consumables, and sanitary products to the Borno State Government for victims of the devastating flood that ravaged the state earlier in September.
The Foundation also donated 60 mattresses and dental accessories to Ile-Ife Special School for Children with Disabilities.
Beyond providing energy to drive industrial and economic growth, NNPC Ltd is also investing heavily in the health of Nigerians to ensure all-round prosperity for Nigeria.
