Cape Coast: November 14, 2011: An 11 year-old primary pupil, Kate Klutse, has expressed enormous gratitude to Vodafone Ghana for paying for her eye surgery to restore her sight. In a touching account, Kate, together with her parents, narrated how her near-blind eyesight, caused by severe cataracts, had put her out of school for the past two years.
Kate is one of thousands of beneficiaries of Vodafone Ghana’s benevolence. As part of the company’s contribution to World Sight Day which was celebrated last month, Vodafone Ghana, is working in collaboration with Sightsavers and the Ghana Health Service, to restore the sight of 2,500 visually impaired people suffering from cataract and trachoma across Ghana by the end of November 2011.
A resident of Assin Mankata in the Central Region, Kate’s parents recounted how her eye problems started when she was about five years old. Her vision became blurred and started failing gradually until she dropped out of school.
Though her parents took her to health facilities, the high cost of eye-care coupled with the fear of eye surgery prevented them from continuing medical care.
“I can now return to school and complete my education. I cannot thank Vodafone enough for giving me hope again”she shared.
So far, over 5,000 people have undergone free eye screening across the country. Out of this number, 1,560 people have been diagnosed with cataracts and have benefitted from free eye surgeries. Surgeries are still on-going at selected medical facilities in all regions.
The project is led by qualified healthcare professionals from the Ghana Health Service, who have set up over 80 screening centres across the country, offering free screening and surgeries on patients suffering from cataract and trachoma; two major causes of blindness in Ghana. Vodafone Ghana’s association with this lifesaving initiative reaffirms its commitment to the well-being of Ghanaians especially economically disadvantaged people who have little or no access to quality healthcare. The funding provided by Vodafone enabled Sightsavers and the Ghana Health Service to extend screening and treatment across all the regions till the end of November 2011.
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For further information, please contact the Vodafone Ghana press information line on 020 340 1313. You can also connect with Vodafone Ghana at: www.facebook.com/vodafoneghana or through BB Pin 26CE15AD.
About Vodafone Ghana
Vodafone Ghana is an operating company of Vodafone Group Plc., the number one telecoms brand in the world and one of the most valuable global brands with a significant presence in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific and the United States.
Vodafone Ghana is a total communications solutions provider - mobile, fixed lines, internet, voice and data - and is currently unmatched in providing fixed line and internet services - the leader and the first choice for Ghanaians.