Hi guys,
It is said that your health is your wealth and when it comes to the eye I always say that it is your window to the beautiful scenery of this world. This cannot be overemphasized because losing your sight could literally bring everything to a halt for you.
According to Otabil et all Ghana currently has a Glaucoma prevalence of 7.89 with 8.5% of individuals over 40 years having the condition. Glaucoma is the silent thief of sight which gives no symptoms until vision loss becomes quite severe in the end stages.
The condition has no cure and the majority of individuals living with the condition do not even know they have it. As a practicing Optometrist here in Ghana I can tell you most glaucoma diagnoses are opportunistic and are mostly because someone decided to come to the hospital because something got into the eye, he or she is itching, or had to come to the eye clinic to pass the driving test for their license.
People in deprived communities who may not even have healthcare facilities to even think of eyecare, lose their sight as they grow older and many are of the assumption that this is normal, when you grow old you go blind when it is clearly due to lack of access to healthcare. Aside from glaucoma, the common cause of blindness in Ghana and Africa as a whole is cataracts.
Now cataract is not like Glaucoma, it give signs and symptoms from the onset and would present with discomfort glare throughout the time of having this condition and so most individuals with access to healthcare would take a visit to the hospital. The only issue here is the fact that cataract is surgically treated and unfortunately, these individuals tend to have difficulties affording the surgery as well as the needed medication to keep them going afterward.
Hive Ghana through the health and outreach program is looking to not only educate and reform the ideas and mindset of individuals within these deprived areas but also help them with free care by diagnosing their conditions, providing guidance where referral may be a necessity as well as supporting them as much as we can so their vision may be preserved or restored in the possibility of that situation.
We have our first event with Manso Nkwanta township and it went great, great stories were discovered and someone there get to keep or save her nerves from rapid deterioration due to glaucoma because she got glaucoma drugs to use for the next couple of months. Tomorrow on International Worker's Day Holiday, we would be visiting another remote area called Bedomase in the Ashanti Region to have a similar exercise.
Now whiles we seek to save sights and enhance the quality of life by improving health, we aim to also put Hive on the radar of all Ghanaian Media Platform, we believe that this is also one of the effective marketing strategies that would leave Hive's name on the lips of Ghanaians even as we impact their lives through the various projects.
As the Team leader for the project, I am happy to announce that we are fully ready for the event and have procured all the necessary drugs, equipment, etc that would make the event a great success. Two of Ghana's popular media stations thus TV3 and Onua TV/FM will be available to cover the event. The team and activities would include;
- Fasting blood sugar/random blood sugar check for diabetics
- Systolic/Diastolic Blood and pulse Pressure check for all who would attend
- Comprehensive Eye Examination
- Guidance and Counselling for Community members with health issues or upon diagnosis
The Health/Medical Team includes;
- Dr. Ben-Nathaniel Fosu,@nattybongo as the leading Optometrist on the ground
- Dr. Caroline Naana Yaaney, as the supporting Optometrist from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.
- and 4 supporting health staff
The Media Team would be led by;
- @zicogh, Hive Journalist and @awuahbenjamin, Hive Ghana project overseer.
NB: All Hive Ghana members have been invited on all our platforms to attend and support. The appropriate authorities and the necessary permissions have been sought for this event. This program is fully sponsored by Hive
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The eye is delegate and you are doing your best to let us see. Thanks very much for stepping in to help these people see. Not only will they see, they will also know and appreciate the contribution of hive.
Thanks to the team. You guys are doing great.
We are excited about your expertise in helping to reach the world with hive through health.