Vision Aid Overseas to expand its Ghana programme

Working together with the Ghana Health Service and other NGOs, Vision Aid Overseas plans to expand its programme in Ghana to increase access to affordable eye care services in rural and isolated areas.

In Ghana, it is estimated that 95% of the population (approximately 26 million people) do not have access to affordable eye care services and prescription glasses, with the majority of those living in rural and isolated areas.

On Monday 28^th August, a meeting was held in the capital, Accra hosted by the Ghana Health Service, to discuss the status of eye care services in the country, and how Vision Aid Overseas and other eye care NGOs can support the government in achieving the targets set out in the World Health Organisation (WHO) Global Action Plan for Universal Eye Health.

The vision of the global action plan is a world in which nobody is needlessly blind, where those who have unavoidable vision loss can achieve their full potential and finally but most importantly where there is worldwide access to comprehensive and affordable eye care services for all regardless of location and circumstance.

Vision Aid Overseas along with representatives from Operation Eyesight Universal, Vision for a Nation, Vision Spring, Himalayan Cataract Project (HCP) and the Ghana Optometric Association (GOA), attended the meeting, presented by the National Eyecare Coordinator, Dr James Addy and have plans to work in coalition to increase access to affordable eye care services and prescription glasses particularly in the under-served areas of the country.

Anne Buglass, Director of Programmes, Vision Aid Overseas said: “We are really excited to be expanding our programme in Ghana.  A collaborative approach will be key to maximising our impact in the long term to ensure we address the inequality that currently exists in terms of access to affordable eye care services.”

Photo courtesy: Vision Aid Overseas