Kumasi, April 28, GNA - A group of eye specialists from the University of Utah Medical Centre in the USA has began a two-week exercise at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi to perform surgeries. The group made up of ophthalmologists, infectious disease nurses, anaesthetists and glaucoma specialists are expected to perform surgeries on about 400 patients who are suffering from cataract, glaucoma and trachoma.

Dr Alan Crandall, leader of the group, told the Ghana News Agency that apart from the surgeries, the group would also offer teaching and training to build the capacities of local doctors and nurses at KATH on new trends in the treatment and management of eye diseases, especially cataract, trachoma and glaucoma.

He said the group had since its outreach programme at KATH in 1997 performed surgeries and treated over 3000 eye patients from the country and other neighbouring countries.

Dr Crandall said the group was considering establishing a permanent centre of excellence at KATH where modern eye screening and treatment would be performed for patients from the West African sub-region.

Dr Seth Lartey, Head of Eye Department of KATH, said the surgeries would be performed on all patients including children and those with health insurance would not pay anything while those without health insurance would pay one-third of the total cost.