Orbis International Ghana, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) committed to the preservation and restoration of sight, has donated assorted eye care equipment to five health facilities in the Ashanti Region.
The donation of the equipment worth $ 73,000.00 seeks to improve eye care services in the region and formed part of activities leading to the integration of primary eye care into the health system.
The beneficiary facilities include Kumasi South Hospital(KMA), Mankranso Government Hospital (Ahafo Ano South West District), Nkawie Government Hospital (Atwima Nwabiagya North district), Abuakwa Polyclinic (Atwima Nwabiagya North district), and Obuasi Government Hospital (Obuasi East).
The items include ophthalmoscopes, pediatric trial frames, adult trial frames, focimeters, cataract sets, chalazion sets, minor surgery sets, operating microscopes, and visual acuity charts.
The rest were magnifying loupes, pinholes, instrument drum large, occludes, visual activity charts (LED), trial lens sets, retinoscopes, indirect ophthalmoscopes, visual field test machines, and cauteries.
Mr Adolf Ollenu, Programme Manager, Orbis International Ghana, presenting the equipment to the Regional Health Directorate at a brief ceremony in Kumasi, said the motive behind the donation was to provide quality eye care services to underserved communities at a minimal cost.
He said the beneficiary facilities were part of a primary eye project being implemented by his outfit, adding that the focus was to fight preventable and treatable blindness.
“As part of our activities and interventions, we have procured equipment for distribution to these facilities to improve service delivery,” he said.
Most of the health facilities, he noted, were under-resourced in the area of eye care services and underlined the need to provide them with the requisite equipment to be able to deliver efficiently. He then urge the general public to take very good care of their eye and stop putting things like salty water and others in their eyes.
Dr Emmanuel Tinkorang, the Regional Director of Health Services who received the equipment on behalf of the facilities, applauded Orbis International for the intervention and pledged to ensure they were put to good use.
He said the equipment would go a long way to enhance quality eye care delivery in the beneficiary facilities.