Agincourt Resources concluded the 2025 Free Cataract Surgery Programme of the Martabe Gold Mine with surgical procedures conducted at Mencirim 77 Eye Specialist Hospital, Medan, on 25–26 January 2026. The programme was originally scheduled for November 2025 but had to be postponed due to flash floods and landslides that struck Garoga Village, Batang Toru, and surrounding areas. During the emergency, Agincourt Resources, together with local government and relevant agencies, redirected its focus and resources to reopen access roads, establish evacuation centres, public kitchens, health services, and provide logistical support for affected communities.
A total of 116 patients who had been registered were awaiting surgery in Medan, making the January 2026 implementation a reflection of Agincourt Resources’ commitment to honouring its promise to communities affected by the postponement. Throughout 2025, the programme was implemented at five locations across North Sumatra, namely Bhayangkara Hospital Batang Toru, Pandan Regional General Hospital (Central Tapanuli), Sipirok Regional General Hospital (South Tapanuli), Siantar Eye Hospital Pematangsiantar, and concluded at Mencirim 77 Eye Hospital Medan. In total, 1,465 eyes from 1,358 patients were successfully restored, bringing renewed hope and an improved quality of life to the community.
The programme was designed as a tangible form of support for people living with cataracts who face limited access to eye health services, enabling patients to resume independent and productive activities and to live with greater dignity. The Martabe Gold Mine Free Cataract Surgery Programme is also aligned with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) No. 3, which aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. Agincourt Resources implemented the programme in collaboration with Mencirim 77 Eye Hospital Medan, a specialised eye hospital with extensive experience and high competence since 2022, supported by professional medical personnel, adequate facilities, and strict patient safety standards.
Senior Manager Community Christine Pepah, representing Agincourt Resources management, stated, “Today, we conclude the 2025 Free Cataract Surgery Programme. As light returns to the eyes of our patients, we too look towards a bright and meaningful future. In every step and every form of support, there is a promise fulfilled, smiles restored, and hope rekindled. May every eye opened today bear witness to the continuity of our commitment to being present and making a positive impact on the community.”
The closing ceremony was attended by Agincourt Resources Deputy Manager Stakeholder Relations Adi Lubis; Director of Mencirim 77 Eye Hospital Medan, dr Syarifuddin A., Sp.M; and Head of Disease Prevention and Control of the North Sumatra Provincial Health Office, Novita Rohdearni Saragih, SKM, M.Sc., MA. The event also featured a health talk show with Dr Dewi Chailaty, M.Kes, Director of the Technical Implementation Unit of the North Sumatra Provincial Eye Specialist Hospital, as the keynote speaker.
One of the patients, Aohasi Halawa, 40, a becak (cycle rickshaw) driver from Percut Sei Tuan, Deli Serdang, North Sumatra, can now see the world again through his left eye just one day after undergoing surgery at Mencirim 77 Eye Hospital Medan under the Agincourt Resources programme on 25 January 2026. “Praise be to God. Now I can see again,” said Aohasi enthusiastically at the programme’s closing. He shared that for a year his vision had been blurred, and by August 2025 it had become completely dark, forcing him to stop operating his becak. Upon hearing about Agincourt Resources’ free cataract surgery programme, he immediately registered, and just one day after the operation, his sight was restored.
The year 2025 marked the 11th implementation of the Martabe Gold Mine Free Cataract Surgery Programme. Since it was first launched in 2011, more than 13,000 eyes from over 11,000 patients have been successfully operated on. The programme has reached communities across various regions of North Sumatra, including South Tapanuli, Central Tapanuli, Sibolga, North Tapanuli, North Padang Lawas, Padang Lawas, Mandailing Natal, Pematangsiantar, Deli Serdang, Medan, and Nias. The success of this programme reaffirms that community health and well-being are an integral part of Agincourt Resources’ responsibility to contribute sustainably and deliver tangible positive impacts for the environment and surrounding communities.
