Africa Relief and Community Development restores sight to 200 Ghanaians

By Iddi Yire, GNA

Accra, Nov 27, GNA – Mr Abdel Wahab Shawky, the Director, Africa Relief and Community Development, Ghana, has presented a cheque for $12,000.00 to Save the Nation’s Sight in Accra to facilitate the eye surgery of 200 Ghanaians from November to December, 2023.

The clinic has, so far, performed 71 eye operations free of charge for needy Ghanaians (38 females and 33 males).

Mr Shawky noted that the Africa Relief and Community Development currently operates in 23 countries in Africa, providing comprehensive relief and development aid to people in the areas of health and education, among others.

He cited the organisation’s support to victims of the Akosombo Dam Spillage, adding that it was working towards constructing water wells in the affected communities.

Dr Thomas Tontie Baah, the Director of Save the Nation’s Sight, who received the cheque, expressed gratitude to the organisation for saving the sight of the patients, most of whom suffered from cataract.

He said cataract blindness could be reversed with a simple straight forward surgical procedure, but unfortunately “there are thousands who are needlessly blind from cataract in Ghana.”

“One would wonder why these patients, many of whom had the National Health Insurance Card, are not getting the operation needed to restore their vision?”

Dr Baah said he was not begrudging the Government and or the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) for not paying realistic tariffs for cataract surgery.

“We all know the problem. The premium for the National Health Insurance Scheme is very low. It has probably not been reviewed for a very long time.”

He said some NGOs recognised the problem and were assisting some clinics in kind or cash to operate on the extremely poor.

“If you know a relative or anyone who needs cataract surgery, please refer him or her to Save the Nation’s Sight Clinic for help.”

Dr Louisa Ademki Matey, the Ayawaso West Wuogon Municipal Health Director, commended Save the Nation’s Sight Clinic for its role in restoring the sight of the people.

Dr Afeke Honametor, the Head of the Eye Unit, Save the Nation’s Clinic, assured the Africa Relief and Community Development that its donation would be put to good use.

Professor Roger Kanton, a former Chief Research Scientist, Council for Industrial and Scientific Research -Savanna Agricultural Research Institute, appealed to Ghanaians to support investment in the health sector; saying: “No donation is too small”.

Dr John Williams, a former Director of Dodowa Health Centre, who chaired the function, hailed Dr Baah and his team for the tremendous progress they were making in the health sector.

GNA

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