Standard Chartered has launched a new project in partnership with Orbis, aimed at promoting the increase of eye health services to children and adults.

The project focuses on the primary level and district hospitals to increase the uptake of eye health services by children (0-15) and adults in four districts in the Ashanti Region.

The project was launched on the occasion of World Sight Day, which is celebrated annually on the second Thursday of October each year to raise awareness of the 36 million people, who are blind and the 217 million people that are visually impaired worldwide.

According to the Ghana Blindness and Visual Study (2015), 0.74 percent of Ghanaians are blind. Additionally, 1.07 percent have severe visual impairment.

It is in this direction that Standard Chartered had committed to raising $100 million by 2020, through Seeing is Believing – its global initiative, launched in 2003 and run in partnership with the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB), to fund leading eye health organisations to deliver projects that train doctors and health workers, develop eye care infrastructure and support services to the poor.

Since 2007 ‘Seeing is Believing’ has implemented various projects in Ghana, which include investment in eye health projects that range from providing comprehensive eye care in low and middle-income communities to building innovative eye health delivery solutions.

Projects undertaken include the construction of fully equipped eye clinics complete with surgery facilities to the training of health workers in identifying and dealing with primary eye health cases.

Mrs. Mansa Nettey, Chief Executive of Standard Chartered Bank Ghana Limited, speaking at the formal launch of the project, during the 2017 World Sight Day celebrations said: “As a bank it gives us great pleasure to support this intervention, which focuses on the most vulnerable in society – our children.

Through ‘Seeing is Believing’ we are able to strengthen the Ghanaian health system to promote the uptake of child eye health services. We are hopeful that this project will translate into quality eye health services for residents in the chosen districts especially children”

Speaking at the launch, Dr. Maria Hagan, Country Representative for Orbis said, “with financial support from Standard Chartered’s “Seeing is Believing”, Orbis Africa is able to expand the delivery of child eye health services from the primary level through the referral system to the tertiary level, by strengthening the existing health system”.

The project, which falls under ‘Seeing is Believing’ Phase 5 tranche 3, is estimated at $400,000.

It will run for three years in four districts in the Ashanti region -Afigya Kwabre, Ejusi Juaben, Atwima Kwanwoma and Bosomtwe Districts.