By Godfred Aaneamenga Polkuu
Nabdam (U/E), Sept. 21, GNA – A six-day community health outreach in the Nabdam District has exposed significant gaps in primary eye care, preventive health education and early presentation among residents, with health professionals calling for stronger community-based services.
The outreach programme dubbed: “Nabdam Health Summit 2026,” was organized and funded by Dr Mark Kurt Nawaane, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Nabdam and Chairman of Parliament’s Select Committee on Health in partnership with the Haven of Love Children’s Foundation.
It was held from August 31 to September 5, at the Sakote, Nangodi, Logre, Gundoug/Woredaa and Pelungu Health Centres.
The exercise, provided free eye screening, medical consultations, blood pressure and diabetes screening and cataract surgery bookings for beneficiaries.
The exercise conducted 1,447 eye screenings, resulting in 199 clients being scheduled for cataract surgery.
A team of eye-care professionals who participated in the screening exercise said the cases encountered highlighted several challenges, including limited public awareness of eye conditions, delayed presentation for care, neglected childhood eye problems, and inadequate access to primary eye-care personnel at the health centre level.
The observations were made by Dr Dennis Keeri Yennemi, an Optometrist, and Mr Daniel Seyram Mensah, an Optician, both from the Upper East Regional Hospital, as well as Madam Helen Adubah and Madam Sheila Abugri, who are Ophthalmic Nurses at the Zebilla and Bongo Hospitals, respectively.
The eye-care professionals said some residents delayed seeking professional care because of fear, misconceptions and the use of traditional eye remedies.
During the screening, the team encountered children with neglected eye conditions, including allergic conjunctivitis, uncorrected refractive errors and suspected early cataracts.
According to the team, some parents attributed their children’s visual problems to spiritual causes or believed the conditions would resolve naturally as the children grew.
The team noted that such beliefs could contribute to delayed treatment and affect visual development and school performance.
The team recommended intensified community education through radio, community durbars, information centres, Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compounds, churches, mosques among other public gatherings.
They called for appropriate local language information materials, stronger school eye screening programmes and improved referral systems linking schools to health facilities.
The team further recommended increased education for parents during Child Welfare Clinic and antenatal sessions.
Another major concern the team identified was the limited availability of primary eye-care personnel at the health centre level, and therefore, recommended that trained primary eye-care personnel or ophthalmic nurses be deployed to health facilities in Nabdam, supported by basic eye-screening equipment.
They also called for Community Health Officers to receive training to support early detection, eye-health education and appropriate referral of patients.
Among older clients, the professionals reported a high burden of dry-eye symptoms, age-related eye complaints, and called for improved access to essential ophthalmic medicines and appropriate health education.
The team further called for sustained collaboration among health authorities, community leaders, civil society organizations and other stakeholders to support regular screening, referral and follow-up care.
Mr Samuel Nana-Bekai Djirackor, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Haven of Love Children’s Foundation, said the outreach was an opportunity to identify health needs and connect residents to appropriate care.
He said the experience provided useful information for future community health planning, particularly in eye care, diabetes, hypertension, preventive health education and outreach to hard-to-reach communities.
He said the lessons from the summit would inform the Foundation’s future interventions as it pursues its mission of “Restoring Hope, Transforming Lives, Loving the Treasured.”
GNA
Edited by Caesar Abagali/Kenneth Odeng Adade
Reporter: Godfred Aaneamenga Polkuu
Reporter’s email: [email protected]