Nkwateng (E/R), June 2, GNA - The Ghana Health Service has planned to give incentives to eye surgeons who would be able to undertake 200 cataract operations a year to motivate them to work harder. Dr M.K. Quartey, Eye Specialist at the Koforidua Central Hospital, who on Tuesday announced this, said, 180,000 people were estimated to be blind in the country out of which 20,000 come from Eastern Region where cataract accounted for 12,000 of the cases.

He was speaking at a programme to mark the end of Eastern Region Blindness Awareness Week at Nkwateng in the Birim North District . Dr Quartey said cataract was the leading cause of blindness in the country, and indeed the whole world and warned people suffering from the disease not to visit quack doctors but to report to the hospital for proper medical care.

He gave the assurance that people with cataract could regain their vision through proper surgery.

Dr Quartey said patients suffering from diabetics and pregnant women infected by German measles could contract cataract blindness. The Acting District Director of Health Services, Mr Tei Djangmah appealed to the public to have compassion for people with eye disability and to assist them to be productive.

He advised parents to keep sharp objects that could injury the eyes away from children.

Dr Djangmah urged people suffering from glaucoma to visit the hospital since there was cure for the disease and warned people against applying herbs on their diseased eyes.

He advised people living in river blinders endemic areas to take ivermectin tablets supplied them to prevent them from getting the disease.

Nana Amanie Ankrah, Nkwatenhene, appealed to the Ministry of Health to supply the PPAG/Community clinic in the town with anti-snake serum since Nkwateng is a farming area with the people highly vulnerable to snake bites.

He expressed regret that, recently, a schoolboy in the area died through snakebite because there was no anti-snake serum at the clinic. Nana Ankrah commended the only midwife manning the clinic for her dedication to work and appealed to the District Health Directorate to post more nurses there to ensure effective health delivery.