Saudi-Based King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre on Monday launched a volunteer medical campaign in Ghana to combat blindness.
Hundreds of residents in Nsawam and surrounding areas in the Eastern Region turned up at the launch at the Nsawam Government Hospital for screening for eye diseases and treatments.
It was launched in partnership with Albasar International Foundation, Direct Aid Society Ghana, and the Nsawam Government Hospital to provide treatment and medical service to eye disease patients.
The six-day campaign target to screen at least 3000 people and offer free medication, eye glasses and cataract surgery for patients.
The people were screened by a team of specialists from the foundation with support of nurses at the hospital, for all forms of eye troubles.
The Charge de Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Embassy in Accra, Saed Al-Bakr at the official launch recounted Saudi-Ghana relations and commended the government for the opportunity to team up with the hospital to fight blindness in Ghana.
The Regional Director of the foundation, Dr Mohieldin Abdallah Albadawi, said the foundation operated outreach mobile eye screening across Africa and Asia, help to build clinic for needy areas and capacities of health institutions, under its programme to fight blindness.
He added that the foundation had set up two eye clinics in Nigeria and Niger to improve eye healthcare in the countries.
Dr Albadawi said the foundation had been conducting eye screening and free cataract surgeries in Ghana since 1994, as part of efforts to help in the prevention of blindness in the country.
The Medical Superintendent, of the Nsawam Government Hospital, Kwabena Awuku, made appeal to the foundation to help establish a permanent clinic for the Hospital, adding that though the hospital did not have a resident Ophthalmologist, they had been collaborating with the Regional Hospital to treat eye cases and cataract surgery.
The Member of Parliament for Nsawam-Adoagyeri and Majority Chief Whip, Frank Annor-Dompreh, said the Nsawam Government Hospital was strategically located and served five constituencies in the area, and also made a strong appeal for permanent eye clinic for the hospital.
The Chief of Ahodwo, Nana Opare Amankwah II, while commending the foundation urged those diagnosed with eye troubles to strictly adhere to treatment regimen to preserve their sight.
FROM ALHAJI SALIFU ABDUL-RAHAMAN, NSAWAM