Premium Pension Limited, as part of its Corporate Social Reaponsibility has partnership with a Non-governmental organization, Charity To Cheer Foundation has sponsored free eye cataract surgery to 200 aged and indigent persons at Gambo Sawaba Hospital in Zaria, Kaduna State. These surgeries were done in 2 batches on 6th March and 6th June 2021.
In his remarks at the ceremony on 6th June, to celebrate the success of the surgeries, the Emir of Zazzau, Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli expressed his delight and immense gratitude to Premium Pension Limited for sponsoring the free eye cataract surgery. He further acknowledged the effort of the Chief Executive Officer Mr. Umar Sanda Mairami on the commitment, dedication and support he extended to Charity To Cheer Foundation in achieving this laudable initiative aimed at reducing hardship to the less privileged in the society. He called on companies, philanthropist, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) for continued support in complimenting the effort of government at all levels in improving the lives of people in the areas of health, education and security.
Umar Sanda Mairami, managing director/ CEO of Premium Pension Limited, said the sponsorship is in alignment with the Company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) interventions, aimed at touching the lives of people at locations nationwide.
He said CSR is an integral part of the Company’s corporate governance architecture for which it has won awards and it is a deliberate policy of the Company, as a responsible corporate entity to help people in need and contribute to the development of the society.
Mairami described the occasion as a memorable day not only in the journey of the Company in partnership with Charity To Cheer Foundation but to good things that happened to Zazzau emirate as a whole.
He further buttressed the point and quoted from Medford Eye Centre “Your eyesight is one of your most important senses: 80 percent of what we perceive comes through our sense of sight.” He also commended the healthcare providers and other frontline professionals in their ongoing efforts to make available medical care to those inflicted with the cataract disease with a view to restoring sights as well as the Charity To Cheer Foundation for the laudable initiative.
Maryam Shehu Mohammed, president of Charity To Cheer Foundation commended the support of Premium Pension Limited for providing sponsorship of the project without any hesitation for the free cataract surgery.
According to her, the beneficiaries were mostly senior citizens, who could not afford the cost of the surgery at health facilities, adding that the foundation is still seeking more support and collaborations from other key stakeholders to up-scale the programme.
Highlights of the event comprised brief presentation on Eye care by the leader of the medical team and Consultant Ophthalmologist from College of Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Faruk Garba, who described the project as rewarding, as a day after the surgery individuals can have restoration of vision evidenced by what was experienced during the clinic. He said, “Cataract can happen as part of normal ageing process as eventually most individuals will come down with cataract. He went on to say that the severity to the vision will determine whetheran individual will require a surgery or not”.
Faruk, therefore advised individuals with cataract to always seek help from eye care professionals. He commended the effort of Premium Pension Limited for sponsoring the free surgery, which strongly impacted on many elderly people especially those with financial challenge and are unable to get treatment.
