The Anthony Village Emerald Lions Club says it will sponsor 50 cataract operations as part of measures to prevent avoidable blindness among Nigerians.

Its president, Dayo Arogbo, disclosed this during her inauguration and fundraiser as the 7th president of the Lagos club.

Cataract surgery is a procedure that replaces the eye’s cloudy natural lens with an artificial lens. It has a high success rate in improving eyesight.

Cataracts are prevalent in Nigeria and are the most common cause of blindness and severe visual impairment in the country.

The 2018 Nigerian National Blindness and Visual Impairment Survey (NNBVIS) estimated that cataracts accounted for about 43 percent of visual impairment cases in Nigeria.

Arogbo pointed out that the Lions Club had a long history of tackling the major causes of avoidable and reversible blindness and helping people who are blind or visually impaired.

“Our main project for the 2024/2025 Lions year is actually to sponsor 20 cataract surgeries. However, based on consultations with my team, we increased this number to 50 operations.

“Our partners have subsidized the cost of each surgery to the tune of N150,000, which will enable us to impact more lives, which is what Lions is all about,” she said.

According to Arogbo, his major projects also include facilitating the exterior flooring of the Anthony Village Health Center and continuing the construction of an assembly hall for the Ajao Estate High School.

She revealed that at the start of the 2024/2025 Year of the Lion, the club carried out some projects, such as planting trees within its community and transforming a point into a recreational area, carried out in collaboration with the District.

Arogbo added that the youth were also engaged and trained in the areas of healthcare, skills development, digital literacy and drug awareness.

“We also donated sanitary items, including cash, to the Oncology Department of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH).

“We also conducted eye exams, distributed free glasses and continued our monthly humanitarian outreach to the community to support our global causes,” she said.

Arogbo acknowledged that the task ahead was daunting; however, he expressed confidence that the collaboration would help achieve the desired goals and excel in its service to humanity.

Likewise, Dr Folasade Shotomide, District Governor 404A3 Nigeria, advised the club to strive for excellence in its service and create a better future for its community.

“Strive for the best and always remember that our service is not only about what we do, but also about how we make others feel,” Shotomide said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Lions Club is an international service organization, whose mission is to empower volunteers to serve their communities, respond to humanitarian needs and promote peace and understanding in the world.

Lions focus on projects that address local and global challenges, with an emphasis on eight core projects including hunger, vision, diabetes, youth development, environment, childhood cancer, disaster relief and humanitarian aid.