Forty two out of over 300 residents screened for cataract in the Pig Farm/Kotobaabi area in the Ayawaso Central District have been identified as suffering from the disease.

They have, therefore, undergone free surgery by the North Western Eye Centre (NWEC) from Mataheko in the Ablekuma Central District with support from Unite for Sight, a Non-Governmental Organization in the United States of America.

The residents received a two-day free eye screening last year, through the initiative of Mr Prince Tamakloe, Assemblyman for the area.

About 500 residents of the area have also benefitted from the screening this year at the Global Evangelical Church, Kotobaabi.

Mr Tamakloe, who made this known in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Accra on Saturday, said the exercise, dubbed; “Community Eye Health” was organised as part of efforts to bring eye care services to the door-steps of the people.

He advised the people to have regular eye checks for early detection of the disease adding that a number of road accidents had occurred due to poor sight of drivers.

Mr Tamakloe expressed gratitude to NWEC and Unite for Sight for their support.

Dr Elorm Tsawoe, Ophthalmologist and leader of the NWEC team, said the objective of “Community Eye Health” was to create awareness on the need for people to be conscious of their health, especially the eye, and also provide basic eye care services to the poor.

“We have adopted socially responsible programmes that would make eye care affordable and have the desired impact on the communities,” he said.