Madam Patricia Appiagyei, MP for Asokwa( second left) going through the eye screening process. Seated with her are other participants and residents of Asokwa
Dr Esinam Ayisi Boateng, an ophthalmologist at the Kumasi South Hospital in the Asokwa Municipality says there are about 700, 000 Ghanaians living with eye defects in the country.
The defect, she noted is commonly called glaucoma, adding the defect has the potential to make one blind if not treated early.
Speaking to the Ghanaian Observer Newspaper last Saturday during a screening exercise for the people of Asokwa, Dr Ayisi Boateng said out of the 700, 000 people who are living with glaucoma only three (3) percent out of the figure have gotten to know their status.
She therefore charged Ghanaians to go for checks on their eyes at the hospital or clinic so they could seek for early treatment if there are problems on same.
‘’My brother it is worrying to note that only three percent out of the 700, 000 people living with glaucoma know their status and that is why the Ghana Health Service (GHS) is embarking on an outreach to create the awareness about the problem’’, Dr Ayisi Boateng stressed.
DETAILS:
Giving details about the disease, the ophthalmologist said glaucoma is like a silent killer as it comes without announcing its presence loudly as other diseases do.
According to her, it blinds people without them knowing since small itches are initially felt on the eyes, adding most people pay less attention to same.
Dr Ayisi Boateng, therefore, commended the Member of Parliament (MP) for Asokwa for readily agreeing to sponsor the outreach exercise for residents of Asokwa in the Atonsu community.
Such periodic assistance, she noted would be welcome by the GHS and the Ophthalmology department at the Kumasi South Hospital so as to enable them provide care for those who may make themselves available for screening
As at 2pm in the afternoon, about 403 people had been taken through the eye screening process with some parents bringing their children along to get them screened.
MEMBER OF PARLAIMENT:
Speaking to this reporter, Madam Patricia Appiagyei, MP for Asokwa noted the importance for one to know the state of his or her eyes.
This, she mentioned would enable one to get treatment on same since the eye is the very part of the body that gives light.
Good eyesight is needed for people to play their roles properly in the development of the country, Mama Pat stressed.
She urged the public to take advantage of such screening exercises to test to know the strength of their eyes.
‘’I decided to support and sponsor this screening exercise because I believe that it is best to get residents to know their health status especially for them to know the strength of their eyes and I am determined to periodically sponsor same every year’’, Madam Appiagyei posited.
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