SOPB provides specs to over 130 longhouse residents in Sg Assap

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Dr Reddy conducts an eye examination on Pemanca Surat Asa of Long Bangan at  Sungai Asap Health Clinic.

Dr Reddy conducts an eye examination on Pemanca Surat Asa of Long Bangan at Sungai Asap Health Clinic.

MIRI: More than 130 longhouse residents in Sungai Asap and Sebauh are seeing better, thanks to the free spectacles sponsored by Sarawak Oil Palm Berhad (SOPB) under its Vision Care Project.

The spectacles were handed over to the recipients on Nov 18 at Sungai Asap township and SOPB’s Sabaju Estate 1 office. Therecipients, who were seleted during an eye screening held last month, were happy to receive this aid from the company.

SOPB plantation controllers Selvarajah Lurdusamy and Ong Cheng Eng, estate managers from Sepakau and Sabaju estates, community leaders and Public Relations Department officers from SOPB headquarters attended the ceremonies.

SOPB Vision Care Project is an ongoing corporate social responsibility (CSR) project, which was established in 2013 ,and is conducted annually with the aim of creating awareness of healthy and quality living.

It also aims at lowering the risk of preventable blindness, particularly among children and elderly folk in longhouses who often do not have access to medical facilities.

The company funded the screening programme and the purchase of the spectacles for the 53 longhouse residents from Sabaju in Sebauh region, and 78 recipients from Sepakau in Sungai Asap.

Earlier this month, a total of 48 longhouse residents from the Sepakau estate went to Sungai Asap Health Clinic for a medical review on their eyesight, led by Dr Kongala Reddy.

The Sabaju residents are expected to show up at Health Clinic Sebauh for their medical review this Nov 27.

The review is to conduct a more extensive medical examination to determine if the patients need to undergo a pterygium or cataract surgery in Bintulu Hospital, of which cost will be borne by SOPB.

Meanwhile, the company in collaboration with Miri General Hospital Blood Bank and Malaysian Red Crescent (Miri Chapter) will run a blood donation drive on Nov 28, from 10am to 3pm, at Level 3 of Boulevard Shopping Mall.