Busua(WR), June 04, GNA - Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama on Monday called for collaboration between Operation Eyesight Universal, a Canadian Non-Governmental Organisation and local health professionals to offer training to Ophthalmologists and Ophthalmic Nurses to support the National Eye Health Programme.

He said continued medical education for eye care professionals, public education and awareness building and technical assistance could improve access to quality eye care services. "To this end Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies as well as Community Based Organisations should be able to identify local leaders to serve as rallying points at the grassroots, " he added. Alhaji Mahama made the call in an address read on his behalf by Mr Anthony Evans Amoah, Western Regional Minister, at the opening session of the First African Partners Networking Workshop of Operation Eyesight Universal at Busua near Takoradi.

Eye specialists from Ghana, Zambia, Malawi, Rwanda, Australia, Canada, Kenya and India are attending the four-day workshop, which is under the theme "Entrenching Excellence In Eye Care in Africa". Alhaji Mahama said the local leaders could also act as vanguards to champion the communities in the fight against blindness.

Alhaji Mahama said such community leaders should be selfless and be motivated by fellow feeling and willingness to serve humanity without any consideration. He noted that delivery of eye care services in Ghana and most African countries was faced with many challenges including inadequate human resources to deliver eye care services, inadequate distribution of eye care service providers and provision of eye care services. Alhaji Mahama said these inadequacies had resulted in the emergence of traditional healers to fill the gap by preaching medicine for eyes that were not medically efficacious.

He said the decision by Operation Eyesight Universal to venture into health delivery, expand and sustain the quality of such delivery in deprived communities in Africa was a cause worthy of support by all. Alhaji Mahama expressed appreciation for the workshop that would be dedicated to leadership development and the integration of primary eye care with primary health care, that were important issues throughout Africa.

Mr Kwesi Blay, Deputy Western Regional Minister, said the importance of activities leading to the avoidance of blindness had been adequately captured in the Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy (GPRS). He said the region had appreciated the good work by World Health Organisation (WHO) and Sight Savers to reduce the prevalence of river blindness in the area.

Mr Blay was optimistic that Operation Eyesight Universal would address other causes of blindness in the region such as cataract and glaucoma. He said it had been estimated that the backlog of cataract in the region was about 0.5 per cent of the population. Mr Blay said unfortunately, Western Region had two ophthalmologists, 11 ophthalmic nurses and an optometrist. Dr Pat Ferguson, President of Operation Eyesight Universal, said the organisation was fully committed to reducing blindness and other eye diseases in Africa. 04 June 07