MORE than 75 percent of the people affected by blindness can be found in Africa and Asia, The World Health Organisation (WHO) has revealed.
The President of the Lions Club of Tema, Lion Henry Boakye disclosed this at an eye screening seminar for staffs and students of the Tema campus of the Methodist University College.
The seminar was parts of activities commemorating world sight day was on the theme: ‘Gender and eye health-Equal access to Care.
This year’s celebration which was hosted by the Tema Lions Club also saw residents of community 8, 10, 11 and 12 all in the Tema metropolis also being screened and treated of various eye diseases.
Mr Boakye noted there are over 314 million people worldwide living with low vision and blindness. Out of this number, he said 45million people are blind, while 269 million people live with low vision.
‘It is for this reason the Lions Club as part its initiative to conquer blindness has embarked on an annual outreached programme to help sensitise people on the need to save their sight’, Mr Boakye said.
The Head of Ophthalmology department at the Tema General Hospital, Dr David Adiepena who took participants through eye safety tips indicated glaucoma which is genetically inherited is the major cause of blindness in the country.
He said the chronic simple glaucoma is a silence blind disease which in the long run blinds people after several treatments and appeal to people between the ages of 35years to go for eye examination regularly.
The Chairperson of Zone 161, Lion Kate Baaba Hudson told the gathering the exercise has become necessary following the large number of people who are living with various eye defects but are oblivious of the challenges.
She noted the sensitisation screening programme which was created in 1998 to help draw attention to the importance of eradicating preventable blindness and improve sight has over the years been extended to various educational institutions and communities of abode across the entire country.
Ms Hudson said the club is committed to help reduce the incidents of partial blindness and low vision among Ghanaian.
The Lions Club International is the world’s largest secular service organisation with over 44,500 clubs and more than 1.4million members in over 201 counties worldwide.
The Lions Club which is a member of the international body has in the past partnered health professionals in the Tema metropolis in creating awareness on HIV-AIDs, Tuberculosis, prostrate cancer, dental health care among other health related diseases.
In June this year, the club handed over the biggest eye center facility to the Tema General Hospital.
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