Tema, Dec. 30, GNA – The Ghana Optometric Association (GOA), in collaboration with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), has launched a campaign dubbed: “My Eyes! My Vision!” to draw attention to vision health.
The initiative seeks to challenge the public and policymakers to focus on vision as a health issue, which forms a critical component of human wellbeing but often neglected.
Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Dr Remi Ninkpe, National President of the GOA, Mr Albert Kofi Owusu, General Manager of GNA, Mr Francis Ameyibor, Tema Regional Manager, GNA, and Dr Kwame Obeng-Nyarko, Chief Executive Officer, Third Eyecare and Vision Centre, jointly performed the official launch.
It was chaired by Reverend Emmanuel Kwesi Ofori, the Minister in Charge Central Assemblies of God Church, Tema Community Four, who is also a Government Appointee of the Tema Metropolitan Assembly.
DSP Ninkpe described the campaign as a timely intervention to promote visual health in Ghana, touching on various sensitisation programmes to be rolled out in 2022.
He said the importance of eye health could not be overemphasized, adding: “Some say the eyes are the windows to the soul. Some also say that next to death, what they fear most is losing their eyesight.”
“The fact that a baby’s intimate interaction with the mother is not when it starts to suck breast but when he or she lifts the eyes and beholds the mother. This is a treasure we must do all we can to preserve. The treasure of sight”.
He called on Ghanaians to take their visual health seriously, especially when it was well known that some conditions that may lead to irreversible visual loss were easily preventable on early detection and treatment.
“Irreversible blindness leads to permanent disability and may further lead to a reduction in household income, vis-a-vis loss of production, loss of taxable income and loss of revenue and eventually affect the economy,” Dr Ninkpe said.
Mr Kofi Owusu advised journalists to impact society positively for accelerated development.
“Journalism has offered you the opportunity to make a positive impact on your community and country, grab it and make the best out of it. Speak for the vulnerable and let society benefit from your profession,” he said.
“Journalists are highly respected as they know a lot about every sector, be it health, industry, environment, agriculture, or business. So don’t limit yourselves, open yourselves to possibilities and read a lot to acquire the needed knowledge”.
Mr Owusu commended the Ghana Optometric Association for collaborating with the GNA for the campaign to ensure a healthy vision for all.
Mr Ameyibor, on his part, said: “We are combining our professional expertise as optometric physicians and communication experts to reach out to the public with a well-coordinated message”.
The collaboration would serve as a major platform to educate the public on vision health and receive feedback to ensure the broad objectives were achieved.
GNA