National eye health policy in the offing — Deputy Health Minister

Deputy Minister for Health, Prof. Dr. Grace Ayensu-Danquah, has expressed the government’s commitment to a new National Eye Health Policy, promising a dedicated governmental framework to combat avoidable blindness and integrate specialised care into primary health services.

The announcement was made on Tuesday, October 16, during the welcoming ceremony for the state-of-the-art Orbis International Flying Eye Hospital (FEH), which has landed in Accra to begin a multi-city mission aimed at training over 115 Ghanaian eye care professionals in advanced surgical techniques and specialised care.

The training will include ophthalmologists, nurses, anaesthesiologists, and biomedical engineers across partner sites like Korle Bu Teaching Hospital and Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.

During this project, 75 patients will be screened and 40 sight-saving surgeries will be performed, prioritising those that provide the best teaching cases.

Policy Framework to Guarantee Eye Health as Primary Care

Prof. Dr. Ayensu-Danquah articulated the government’s plans on the forthcoming policy as a critical component of Ghana’s broader health agenda.

She outlined the legislative intent to ensure that eye care is not treated as a peripheral service but as a core human right within the national health system.

“The plan would be so that people who have preventable eye diseases are really taken care of. I think that it is right along with our free primary health care as well as our Mahama Cares, which is a Ghana medical trust fund,” Prof. Dr. Ayensu-Danquah stated.

She provided a clear timeframe for the rollout, signalling the government’s determination to finalise the document swiftly.

“So by the end of this year, maybe next year, we should be able to have a policy that covers eye because eye care is actually primary care,” She added.

This forthcoming National Eye Health Policy is designed to complement existing high-level policy frameworks, including the National Health Policy (2020) and the Universal Health Coverage Roadmap (2020–2030), ensuring alignment with Ghana’s goal of providing comprehensive health access to every citizen.

Leveraging Global Partnership to Tackle Avoidable Blindness

Prof. Dr. Ayensu-Danquah highlighted the Orbis visit as essential in building the domestic capacity needed to execute this expansive new policy.

The Orbis Flying Eye Hospital (FEH) acts as a mobile training and surgical centre, equipped with a classroom, operating room, and simulation labs.

The long-standing partnership with Orbis has previously delivered specialised training and sight-saving treatment to thousands of Ghanaians, significantly improving clinical capacity nationwide.

The Deputy Minister praised the visit as a “testament to innovation, compassion, and global partnership in healthcare”, noting that the FEH offers a unique knowledge exchange opportunity that will leave a lasting impact on the country’s health system.

Progress and Ongoing Challenges

Prof. Dr. Ayensu-Danquah also provided an update on Ghana’s achievements and the challenges the new policy is set to target.

She highlighted key successes, including Ghana’s internationally recognised progress in eliminating trachoma and the continuous effort to upgrade ophthalmology infrastructure.

Despite these gains, the country continues to grapple with a high burden of major sight-threatening conditions, with the new policy specifically targeting the reduction of:

• Cataracts: A leading cause of blindness that is treatable through surgery.
• Glaucoma: A progressive, irreversible optic nerve disease.
• Uncorrected Refractive Errors: Easily corrected vision problems (like short-sightedness) that impair productivity.

The deputy minister expressed appreciation to Orbis International and its partners for their continued collaboration in advancing specialised eye care training and delivery in Ghana.

The ceremony was graced by dignitaries and healthcare specialists, including management from Aviance Ghana, Ghana Airports Company Limited, and heads of Ghana’s teaching hospitals.

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