More than a thousand individuals have benefited from a 3rd outreach of a free eye screening program organized by Lifetime Wells Vision (LWV) and Friends Eyes Centre in the South Tongu District of the Volta Region under the auspices of the Member of Parliament (MP) for South Tongu, Hon. Kobena Mensah Woyome.
During the screening, they supplied one thousand seven hundred and forty-one (1,741) eye drops, five hundred and twelve (512) medicated eyeglasses and booked two hundred and ninety-six (296) individuals for surgery.
The screening which was held from 10th – 14th September 2021 in four communities in the South Tongu District saw two hundred and twenty-seven (227) individuals screened at Larve D/A Primary School campus in Larve, three hundred and forty-two (342) at the forecourt of Sela Radio in Dabala, three hundred and twenty-one (321) at Asidowui D/A Primary School campus in Asidowui, and eight hundred and seven (807) at the forecourt of Toyace in Sogakope making it a total of one thousand six hundred and ninety-seven (1,697) clients screened.
Hon. Kobena Mensah Woyome said the exercise is a response to the health needs of the people of South Tongu.
In an interview with Soga WeDey, he pointed out some health issues he has observed among his constituents and how he hopes this exercise will be one of many ways to tackle them.
“During our Thank You Tour of the District, we have met so many people, especially our mothers and fathers who have complained about having eye problems, that is why we have seized this opportunity to deal with this problem in the district.
We have also met people who have complained about having difficulties in urinating, and many other issues. We have also noticed that there are others with financial problems…. Thus, this exercise and others like it will bring free medical care to their doorsteps. ”
Kofi Lawson, the project coordinator said the reason for the outreach is to prevent blindness. He advised people to take good care of their eyes and get regular checkups.
“The advice is that people should go for regular checkups at eye clinics. And people should avoid putting herbs on the eyes,” he said.
Lifetime Wells Vision is a charity dedicated to ending preventable blindness and other vision impairments in Ghana and Tanzania.
For their 3rd outreach in the Volta Region of Ghana, they plan to go to 10 districts.
Kofi Lawson said their work in any District rests on the shoulders of the MPs.