GBfoods, a leading global food manufacturing company partnered with Fundacion Elena Barraquer, a non-profit providing free eye surgery around the world & Niger Foundation Hospital and Diagnostic Centre to provide free cataract surgeries for over 400 patients in Enugu State, Nigeria.
The five-day program which was designed to assist in reducing cases of cataracts, a common cause of preventable blindness, covered screening of patients, surgery, provision of eyeglasses and post-op medication. The mission aimed to restore sight and bring newfound hope to those who have been suffering from impaired vision – a move that will increase the productive population of the benefiting communities and the country.
President of Fundacion Elena Barraquer said sight is fundamental to human existence and thanked GBfoods for facilitating the process and awareness for the programme. “If people cannot see, they cannot work and feed their family, when the operation is done, we give them back their vision and their lives. We are honoured and thankful to GB foods for welcoming us to Nigeria to do this work and we hope to be back.” she said.
While speaking at the event, Vincent Egbe, Managing Director, Nigeria at GBfoods commended its partners for the CSR initiative that has transformed the lives of many Nigerians. “We believe that the foundation of great healthcare is nutrition, and our priority is to always give our consumers access to good quality nutrition through our brands and products. We do believe that access to quality healthcare is a critical need for every individual. Through its various programmes, GBfoods continually develops ways to give back to the society as a responsible corporate citizen whilst supporting the government to achieve a healthier population. We are proud to partner with Fundacion Elena Barraquer & Niger Foundation Hospital and Diagnostic Centre by identifying and contributing to the well-being of communities in Nigeria. We believe that restoring sight due to preventable blindness is one way to increase the productivity of Nigeria as people who can see often have a higher productivity rate and this productivity ultimately drives development for Nigeria.”
Dr. Ito Diejomoah, Director, Niger Foundation Hospital said: “This is a wonderful example of the impact responsible corporate bodies can have on the lives of people by thoughtful giving. Cataracts are one of the leading causes of vision loss in Nigeria and when you return sight to an individual, it has a direct impact on livelihoods in their families and communities. Healthcare in Nigeria will surely benefit when companies look to see how they can support the healthcare sector through their various corporate social responsibility programmes.”
Beneficiaries of the free medical intervention include couples, young adults, and elderly patients who prior to the operation depended on their wards and relatives to move around. GBfoods remains committed to making a positive impact in the regions it operates in, ensuring active contribution to the well-being of communities with its footprints across the globe.