A recent community health outreach in the Nabdam District of Ghana's Upper East Region has highlighted substantial gaps in primary eye care, preventive health education, and early presentation among residents. The outreach programme, dubbed "Nabdam Health Summit 2026," was organized by Dr. Mark Kurt Nawaane, the Member of Parliament for Nabdam, in partnership with the Haven of Love Children's Foundation. The programme took place from August 31 to September 5 at various health centers in the district.
The outreach exercise provided free eye screening, medical consultations, blood pressure and diabetes screening, and cataract surgery bookings for beneficiaries. A total of 1,447 eye screenings were conducted, resulting in 199 clients being scheduled for cataract surgery. The exercise was conducted by a team of eye-care professionals, including Dr. Dennis Keeri Yennemi, an Optometrist, and Mr. Daniel Seyram Mensah, an Optician, both from the Upper East Regional Hospital.
The eye-care professionals identified 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 center level. They noted that some residents delayed seeking professional care due to fear, misconceptions, and the use of traditional eye remedies. The team encountered children with neglected eye conditions, including allergic conjunctivitis, uncorrected refractive errors, and suspected early cataracts.
The team observed that some parents attributed their children's visual problems to spiritual causes or believed the conditions would resolve naturally as the children grew. These beliefs, they noted, could contribute to delayed treatment and affect visual development and school performance. The team recommended intensified community education through various channels, including radio, community durbars, and information centers.
The eye-care professionals also recommended stronger school eye screening programmes, improved referral systems linking schools to health facilities, and increased education for parents during Child Welfare Clinic and antenatal sessions. They further recommended that trained primary eye-care personnel or ophthalmic nurses be deployed to health facilities in Nabdam, supported by basic eye-screening equipment.
The team identified a high burden of dry-eye symptoms and age-related eye complaints among older clients and called for improved access to essential ophthalmic medicines and appropriate health education. They also emphasized the need 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 noted that the experience provided useful information for future community health planning, particularly in eye care, diabetes, hypertension, and preventive health education.
Key points
- The outreach exercise revealed significant gaps in primary eye care, preventive health education, and early presentation among residents in Nabdam District.
- The team recommended intensified community education, stronger school eye screening programmes, and improved referral systems to address the identified gaps.
- The exercise provided free eye screening, medical consultations, and other health services to 1,447 beneficiaries, with 199 clients scheduled for cataract surgery.
