Deputy Health Minister urges Ghanaians to pursue eye care specialization courses

Deputy Minister of Health, Hon. Alhaji Mahama Asei Seini has encouraged Ghanaians with a passion for medicine(optometry) to venture into the specialization of eye care.

According to him, there are few eye care specialists in the country currently.

"One major challenge I would like to highlight is that the number of eye care Specialists in Ghana is inadequate," he bemoaned.

"I am therefore making a clarion call for more people who have the interest to pursue medicine (optometry) to venture into the specialization of eye care," he added.

Speaking at the launch of the ‘Minimally Invasive Surgery in Ghana and Seeing the Beautiful World’ charity project, at LEKMA Hospital, Teshie, initiated by the 11th Batch of the China Medical Team, he noted that the human eyes play a key role in our day to day activities.

"I entreat all who will benefit from this charity project to become worthy eye care ambassadors, help preach prevention and make sure they take care of this second chance given to them.

"We would all agree that next to the gift of life is the gift of sight. Our sight lightens our world and makes us appreciate our existence better. Well, if you doubt, just close your eyes for a minute whiles trying to pick your phone from the desk," he furthered

"Fortunately for mankind, we are blessed with two eyes to make us enjoy this gift of sight. The rather sad part is that we don't have 'spare eyes' to substitute should we lose or harm our only two eyes," he added.

Speaking on the focus of the initiative, Cindy Sun, interpreter of the China medical team noted that many Ghanaians with cataracts are unable to afford eye surgery which results in loss of sight, motivating them to initiate a charity project to support patients undergoing corrective surgery and promote minimally invasive surgery in Ghana.

The launch of the project had key medical institutions in attendance including the 11th batch of the China Medical Team, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital and China-Ghana Friendship Hospital (LEKMA Hospital).

A donation of GHS 430,000 by three support foundations was made to the hospital to fund the surgeries of needy persons with cataracts.