99:
etc. The aim of the
Ministry of Health is to ensure that there is at least one functioning eye unit in every district of the country. Despite the current work, much work is still needed to improve access to eyecare in Ghana due to the low number of eye care professionals per 1000 people. Another group that is helping the Ministry of Health is the Christian Health Association of Ghana. Thirty-five percent of Ghana's health service provision is done by the Christian Health Association of Ghana. Most of the facilities that CHAG runs have eye clinics and these aid in service delivery in those towns and villages that are situated in.
743:
people above 40 years have the disease and 7.7 percent of people above 30 years also are with the disease. The Ghana Health
Service (GHS) is the government agency responsible for health care administration and delivery in the country. GHS has over the years initiated various programs aimed at improving the eye care system in the country. In 2008, the day was celebrated under the theme “Eyes on the Future - Fight Vision Impairment in Later Life Now In Ghana, it is only the Ophthalmologist and optometrist who are licensed to manage glaucoma.
26:
1339:
629:
Optometry (Pg. Dip. Optometry). In 2000, a four-year
Bachelor of Science Degree program was started to phase out the Pg. Dip. Optometry program and also accelerate the training of more eye care professionals in Ghana. In 2004, just as the first batch of Optometrist with the BSc. Degree had graduated, they were enrolled for the two-year Doctor of Optometry (O.D) program. They passed out in 2007. In 2002, the
1097:
1212:
59:
in Ghana. At its inauguration in 1992, there were only 15 members including several expatriates. As of 2011, their numerical strength has increased to 50 with not less than 5 expatriates. Their objectives include promoting good eye health in Ghana and maintaining professionalism in their profession
642:
Trained nurses who wish to become ophthalmic nurses undergo a one-year post nursing school training in eye care at the Korle-Bu
Teaching Hospital. Their training involves training in detection of eye condition and referring to the right eye care professional for treatment. They also are trained in
98:
The
Ministry of Health through its hospitals and health facilities is the main provider of eye care services in the country. Over the years it has taken various initiatives to train more eye care professionals through the various universities, teaching hospitals, nursing schools, training schools,
742:
Ghana is ranked second in worldwide statistics for the prevalence of glaucoma. It is estimated that 600,000 Ghanaians are said to be suffering from glaucoma out of the number, 30,000 are likely to become blind if the disease is left untreated. The statistics continues to show that 8.5 percent of
80:
profession. Since 2009 all optometrists wanting to be members have been required to write a professional exam. Upon successfully passing the exam, the certification required to practice optometry is awarded. The group has about 200 members. In 2010 the Ghana
Optometric Association along with the
89:
The Nurses and midwives council is the statutory body that regulate the activities of ophthalmic nursing practice in Ghana. The ophthalmic nurses group of Ghana is a professional body that serves as the mouth piece of the ophthalmic nurses in Ghana. The group has a membership drive of about 500
660:
There are a lot of ocular conditions in Ghana and as of now virtually all conditions can be treated in the country including those that require laser surgery. Occasionally, though, some conditions require the individual being taken outside the country for treatment. Below are the more common
628:
in 1992. The first class had just five students and were under the tutelage of Ghana's first
Optometrist, Dr. K Monny. It was opened to only to those who had had their first degrees in either Biochemistry, Physics or Biology. Graduates from the school were awarded the Postgraduate Diploma in
651:
The Oyoko town in the New Juaben district of the
Ashanti Region hosts Ghana's only school for the training of opticians. Secondary school graduates who qualify undergo a three-year training in lens glazing and fitting, optics and a lot more to qualify as an optician. They work closely with
42:'s independence on March 6, 1957, there has been much work done to promote and improve the eye care needs of Ghanaians. The main groups who are championing this goal now are the Ghana Society of Ophthalmologists, ophthalmic nurses group of Ghana and the Ghana Optometric Association.
633:
also rolled out its Doctor of
Optometry program. Five students enrolled for the program and graduated with the 2008 batch of O.Ds from KNUST. Today, there are about two hundred Optometrists in Ghana working hand-in-hand with other eye care professionals to save sight.
60:
as ophthalmologists. Their activities include organizing continuous medical education for their members and collaborating with each other and members of other ophthalmological societies around the world to improve patient care. They are associated with the
578:
In 2005 there were five eye care specialists in the region, comprising two ophthalmologists, two optometrists, one optician and an ophthalmic nurse. Specialists operate from the
Imperial Eye Care Centre and the SAEMA district hospital in
558:
Despite a population exceeding 2.1 million, the eighteen districts in Ghana's Western Region are among the least resourced in terms of eyecare services. Professional eye care services are available in four districts,
90:
nurses spread out across the country. they serve as first point of call in eye care. They also collaborate with other health care professionals in the county to provide eye care service for the teaming populates.
81:
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology's Faculty of Distance Learning rolled out a two-year program to offer all members of GOA who did not have the Doctor of Optometry degree to enroll for it.
893:
616:
for a period of three to five years in Ophthalmology. A total of at least ten years is needed to train an individual from the Undergraduate level to the level of an Ophthalmologist in Ghana.
625:
841:
989:
22:
can be said to be one in its infant or growing stages. Today there are less than 300 eye care professionals taking care of the eye needs of over 23 million Ghanaians.
119:
The chart below shows the number of eye care professionals in the various regions and also the progress made to restore sight to people with Cataracts in 2005.
1291:
1136:
1200:
1018:
1244:
1085:
572:
889:
1420:
1324:
1167:
1338:
1063:
65:
564:
1046:
837:
1319:
1162:
757:
1178:
993:
914:
1193:
591:. Supporting services are provided by the region's 106 general practitioners. International assistance is offered through
61:
1425:
1314:
1157:
1078:
592:
55:
The Ophthalmological Society of Ghana is a professional body of ophthalmologists in Ghana which governs the practice of
1448:
1392:
1358:
1249:
1186:
877:
630:
808:
25:
1071:
866:
731:
726:
643:
managing common disease conditions of the eye as well as training to assist the Ophthalmologist in surgery.
1014:
1402:
1232:
762:
943:
1363:
696:
568:
1350:
560:
1309:
1152:
968:
782:
752:
1397:
1286:
1131:
715:
665:
1228:
701:
1387:
1216:
613:
1442:
56:
1042:
706:
683:
595:, which funds three district hospital satellite eye clinics in the Western Region.
918:
1236:
838:"KNUST Inaugurates Faculty of Distance Learning - modernghana.com/regional news"
686:
678:
76:
The Ghana Optometric Association (GOA) is the country's governing body for the
1301:
878:
http://.ghanaeyefoundation.org/privatecontent/.../Annual%20report%2005.pdf//
670:
624:
The first optometrist school in Ghana started at the department of Physics,
77:
1379:
1375:
1259:
867:
http://ghanaeyefoundation.org/privatecontent/.../Annual%20report%2005.pdf
720:
709:
691:
675:
580:
588:
102:
The services that eye care professionals offer are varied and include:
584:
816:
1220:
1096:
609:
39:
24:
18:
1182:
1067:
1015:"30,000 Ghanaians Likely To Go Blind | General News 2011-03-11"
1277:
1337:
862:
860:
858:
939:
964:
786:
940:"Kwame Nkrumah University Of Science and Technology"
1413:
1374:
1349:
1300:
1276:
1258:
1227:
1145:
1124:
1108:
652:Optometrists in refractive therapy and refraction.
626:Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology
1037:
1035:
1194:
1079:
990:"Ghana, second highest in glaucoma worldwide"
8:
840:. Modern Ghana Media Communication Limited.
1255:
1201:
1187:
1179:
1137:Acute haemorrhagic conjunctivitis in Ghana
1086:
1072:
1064:
344:
131:
29:The general setup of an optometry clinic
774:
583:, and from the Government Hospitals in
51:Ophthalmological Society of Ghana (OSG)
1043:"News | Glaucoma Research Foundation"
7:
815:. ghanaoptometry.org. Archived from
783:"Ophthalmological Society of Ghana"
14:
1292:Acute haemorrhagic conjunctivitis
66:American Academy of Ophthalmology
1342:Logo of the Ghana Health Service
1245:National Health Insurance Scheme
1210:
1095:
1049:from the original on 2010-07-06
1021:from the original on 2011-03-16
971:from the original on 2022-04-06
946:from the original on 2022-04-09
896:from the original on 2015-06-19
844:from the original on 2009-10-11
723:associated ocular complications
965:"University of Cape Coast>"
915:"Operation Eyesight Universal"
809:"Ghana Optometric Association"
758:Department of Optometry, KNUST
573:Shama Ahanta East Metropolitan
1:
62:Illinois College of Optometry
1315:Ghana Optometric Association
1158:Ghana Optometric Association
593:Operation Eyesight Universal
72:Ghana Optometric Association
1421:Water supply and sanitation
85:Nurses and midwives council
1465:
1335:
1320:Dept of Optometry, KNUST
1163:Dept of Optometry, KNUST
631:University of Cape Coast
351:Total Cataract Operation
123:2005 Eye report of Ghana
807:Abaka-Cann, J. (2011).
732:Allergic conjunctivitis
727:Sickle cell retinopathy
565:Bibiani/Anhwiaso/Bekwai
16:The eye care system in
1343:
1325:Dept of Optometry, UCC
1168:Dept of Optometry, UCC
890:"Ghana Western Region"
608:Teaching hospitals in
30:
1403:Ghana AIDS Commission
1341:
1233:Universal health care
763:Optometry, UCC, Ghana
661:conditions in Ghana.
28:
1364:Ghana Health Service
697:Bacterial Infections
656:Major Eye conditions
1426:Water privatization
115:Rehabilitative care
1414:Contextual factors
1359:Ministry of Health
1344:
1310:Optometry in Ghana
1153:Optometry in Ghana
813:ghanaoptometry.org
753:Optometry in Ghana
341:Cataract Surgeries
128:Eye care personnel
31:
1449:Eye care in Ghana
1436:
1435:
1333:
1332:
1268:Eye care in Ghana
1250:List of hospitals
1176:
1175:
1132:Glaucoma in Ghana
1116:Eye care in Ghana
1102:Eye care in Ghana
666:Refractive errors
638:Ophthalmic nurses
551:
550:
338:
337:
147:Ophthalmic nurse
106:Cataracts surgery
46:Regulatory bodies
1456:
1256:
1229:Health insurance
1215:
1214:
1213:
1203:
1196:
1189:
1180:
1100:
1099:
1088:
1081:
1074:
1065:
1058:
1057:
1055:
1054:
1039:
1030:
1029:
1027:
1026:
1011:
1005:
1004:
1002:
1001:
992:. Archived from
986:
980:
979:
977:
976:
961:
955:
954:
952:
951:
936:
930:
929:
927:
926:
917:. Archived from
911:
905:
904:
902:
901:
886:
880:
875:
869:
864:
853:
852:
850:
849:
834:
828:
827:
825:
824:
804:
798:
797:
795:
794:
785:. Archived from
779:
702:Viral Infections
604:Ophthalmologists
599:Training Schools
345:
132:
109:Glaucoma surgery
1464:
1463:
1459:
1458:
1457:
1455:
1454:
1453:
1439:
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1432:
1409:
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997:
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987:
983:
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958:
949:
947:
938:
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933:
924:
922:
913:
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908:
899:
897:
888:
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883:
876:
872:
865:
856:
847:
845:
836:
835:
831:
822:
820:
806:
805:
801:
792:
790:
781:
780:
776:
771:
749:
740:
658:
649:
640:
622:
614:medical doctors
606:
601:
556:
343:
141:Ophthalmologist
130:
125:
96:
87:
74:
68:, and the WGA.
53:
48:
36:
12:
11:
5:
1462:
1460:
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1451:
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1434:
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1411:
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1355:
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1270:
1264:
1262:
1253:
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1247:
1241:
1239:
1225:
1224:
1208:
1206:
1205:
1198:
1191:
1183:
1174:
1173:
1171:
1170:
1165:
1160:
1155:
1149:
1147:
1143:
1142:
1140:
1139:
1134:
1128:
1126:
1125:Eye conditions
1122:
1121:
1119:
1118:
1112:
1110:
1106:
1105:
1093:
1091:
1090:
1083:
1076:
1068:
1060:
1059:
1031:
1006:
981:
956:
931:
906:
881:
870:
854:
829:
799:
773:
772:
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766:
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760:
755:
748:
745:
739:
736:
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734:
729:
724:
718:
713:
704:
699:
694:
689:
681:
673:
668:
657:
654:
648:
645:
639:
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621:
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605:
602:
600:
597:
555:
552:
549:
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542:
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532:
531:
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525:
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515:
514:
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502:
498:
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477:
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468:
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95:
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52:
49:
47:
44:
35:
32:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1461:
1450:
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1427:
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1303:
1299:
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1279:
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1257:
1251:
1248:
1246:
1243:
1242:
1240:
1238:
1234:
1230:
1226:
1222:
1218:
1204:
1199:
1197:
1192:
1190:
1185:
1184:
1181:
1169:
1166:
1164:
1161:
1159:
1156:
1154:
1151:
1150:
1148:
1144:
1138:
1135:
1133:
1130:
1129:
1127:
1123:
1117:
1114:
1113:
1111:
1107:
1103:
1098:
1089:
1084:
1082:
1077:
1075:
1070:
1069:
1066:
1048:
1044:
1038:
1036:
1032:
1020:
1016:
1010:
1007:
996:on 2011-04-07
995:
991:
985:
982:
970:
966:
960:
957:
945:
941:
935:
932:
921:on 2014-04-24
920:
916:
910:
907:
895:
891:
885:
882:
879:
874:
871:
868:
863:
861:
859:
855:
843:
839:
833:
830:
819:on 2017-05-22
818:
814:
810:
803:
800:
789:on 2016-10-22
788:
784:
778:
775:
768:
764:
761:
759:
756:
754:
751:
750:
746:
744:
737:
733:
730:
728:
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722:
719:
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714:
711:
708:
705:
703:
700:
698:
695:
693:
690:
688:
685:
682:
680:
677:
674:
672:
669:
667:
664:
663:
662:
655:
653:
646:
644:
637:
635:
632:
627:
619:
617:
615:
611:
603:
598:
596:
594:
590:
586:
582:
576:
574:
570:
566:
562:
554:Western Ghana
553:
546:
543:
540:
537:
534:
533:
529:
526:
523:
520:
517:
516:
512:
509:
506:
503:
500:
499:
495:
492:
489:
486:
483:
482:
478:
475:
472:
469:
466:
465:
461:
458:
455:
452:
449:
448:
444:
441:
438:
435:
432:
431:
427:
424:
421:
418:
415:
414:
410:
407:
404:
401:
398:
397:
393:
390:
387:
384:
382:Greater Accra
381:
380:
376:
373:
370:
367:
364:
363:
359:
356:
353:
350:
347:
346:
340:
333:
330:
327:
324:
321:
320:
316:
313:
310:
307:
304:
303:
299:
296:
293:
290:
287:
286:
282:
279:
276:
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269:
265:
262:
259:
256:
253:
252:
248:
245:
242:
239:
236:
235:
231:
228:
225:
222:
219:
218:
214:
211:
208:
205:
202:
201:
197:
194:
191:
188:
185:
184:
180:
177:
174:
171:
169:Greater Accra
168:
167:
163:
160:
157:
154:
151:
150:
146:
143:
140:
137:
134:
133:
127:
122:
120:
114:
111:
108:
105:
104:
103:
100:
93:
91:
84:
82:
79:
71:
69:
67:
63:
58:
57:ophthalmology
50:
45:
43:
41:
33:
27:
23:
21:
20:
1267:
1115:
1101:
1051:. Retrieved
1023:. Retrieved
1009:
998:. Retrieved
994:the original
984:
973:. Retrieved
959:
948:. Retrieved
934:
923:. Retrieved
919:the original
909:
898:. Retrieved
884:
873:
846:. Retrieved
832:
821:. Retrieved
817:the original
812:
802:
791:. Retrieved
787:the original
777:
741:
707:Agricultural
684:Hypertensive
659:
650:
641:
623:
620:Optometrists
607:
577:
557:
118:
101:
97:
88:
75:
54:
37:
17:
15:
1237:Health care
687:Retinopathy
679:Retinopathy
569:Ahanta West
467:Brong Ahafo
357:Without IOL
254:Brong Ahafo
144:Optometrist
1351:Government
1280:conditions
1217:Healthcare
1053:2011-04-29
1025:2011-04-29
1000:2011-04-29
975:2022-04-09
950:2022-04-09
925:2014-04-24
900:2014-04-24
848:2009-10-30
823:2017-06-04
793:2019-12-13
769:References
712:to the eye
561:Wassa West
518:Upper West
501:Upper East
325:20,771,382
305:Upper West
288:Upper East
138:Population
112:Refraction
1376:Epidemics
1302:Optometry
1146:Optometry
671:Cataracts
647:Opticians
274:2,033,464
257:2,003,892
240:4,115,881
223:1,763,300
206:1,559,248
189:2,186,539
172:3,451,887
155:2,079,483
78:optometry
1443:Category
1398:HIV/AIDS
1393:COVID-19
1380:diseases
1287:Glaucoma
1260:Eye care
1109:Eye care
1047:Archived
1019:Archived
969:Archived
944:Archived
894:Archived
842:Archived
747:See also
738:Glaucoma
721:HIV/AIDS
710:injuries
692:Glaucoma
676:Diabetic
581:Takoradi
535:National
484:Northern
354:With IOL
322:National
271:Northern
94:Services
589:Dixcove
450:Ashanti
416:Central
399:Western
365:Eastern
308:616,441
291:961,247
237:Ashanti
203:Central
186:Western
152:Eastern
34:History
1388:Cancer
716:Trauma
612:train
585:Tarkwa
541:10,820
538:10,918
348:Region
135:Region
64:, the
38:Since
1221:Ghana
610:Ghana
513:1989
456:1,022
453:1,022
439:1,016
436:1,016
433:Volta
422:1,359
419:1,359
388:2,716
385:2,716
220:Volta
40:Ghana
19:Ghana
1378:and
587:and
571:and
547:524
530:608
507:1844
504:1910
496:247
479:450
462:255
445:564
428:849
394:799
377:443
360:CSR
334:216
1278:Eye
1219:in
524:356
521:377
490:548
487:559
473:901
470:901
411:86
405:172
402:172
371:886
368:886
317:12
300:21
283:12
266:21
249:30
232:18
215:17
181:55
164:22
1445::
1045:.
1034:^
1017:.
967:.
942:.
892:.
857:^
811:.
575:.
567:,
563:,
544:98
527:21
510:66
493:11
331:63
328:42
198:1
178:23
175:20
161:25
1202:e
1195:t
1188:v
1087:e
1080:t
1073:v
1056:.
1028:.
1003:.
978:.
953:.
928:.
903:.
851:.
826:.
796:.
476:0
459:0
442:0
425:0
408:0
391:0
374:0
314:0
311:1
297:1
294:2
280:1
277:1
263:2
260:2
246:7
243:6
229:3
226:2
212:2
209:2
195:2
192:2
158:4
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