GHS urges optometrists to serve rural communities for improved eye care

The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has called on optometrists across the country to accept postings to rural and underserved areas to enhance primary eye care delivery and mitigate the high incidence of eye-related conditions in these regions.

Dr. Hornametor Afake, head of the Eye Care Unit at the Ghana Health Service, made this appeal at the celebration of World

Read full articleOptometry Day at the University of Cape Coast (UCC), themed "Advancing Optometry's commitment to global eye care", according to Graphic Online.

Dr. Afake, represented by Dr. Awo Yaa Karikari Oduro, a specialist ophthalmologist at the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital, highlighted the existing financial and geographical barriers hindering access to eye care services. He emphasized the importance of optometrists supporting primary eye care, especially in providing refractive error services, to enhance eye health outcomes in Ghana.

The event also saw representatives from Cardiff University, Wales, in attendance.

Dr. Afake underscored the prevalence of untreated cataracts, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and other eye conditions as major causes of blindness in Ghana, while refractive errors remain a significant cause of low vision. He urged optometrists to collaborate with other eye care professionals to raise awareness about eye health during commemorative events like World Sight Day and World Glaucoma Week.

Professor Samuel Bert Boadi-Kusi, President of the Ghana Optometric Association, encouraged more Ghanaians, especially students, to consider optometry as a profession due to the increasing global demand for eye care professionals. He emphasized the expanding scope and practice of optometry worldwide, driven by the growing need for eye care services globally.

Professor Boadi-Kusi also appealed to the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to include spectacles as part of its coverage, citing the financial challenges many people face in accessing affordable spectacles.

He suggested that including basic spectacles in the NHIS, particularly for school-going children, would help bridge the gap for economically disadvantaged individuals.

Furthermore, he advised the public to consume more vegetables and tiger nuts, noting their beneficial effects on eye health. Dr. Enyam K. A. Morney, Head of the Department of Optometry and Vision Science at UCC, expressed gratitude to Cardiff University for its significant contribution to the field of optometry in Ghana.