EYE CLINIC
The eye clinic at the Methodist Faith Healing Hospital is a well-functioning
unit headed by an optometrist and aided by an ophthalmic nurse, optician and
five nurses. The clinic operates four days out of the working week with
Tuesdays reserved for community outreaches. Exercises conducted during these
outreaches include free screening of elementary and junior high students,
health education and promotion.
Optometrist Dr. Prempeh (in light purple shirt) speaks to a patient while a nurse looks on.
During the screening program, those identified as having
eye problems are advised to come to the clinic for further assessment. Usually
the solution to most of these eye problems is providing a pair of eye glasses.
Unfortunately, most people in our catchment area are often too poor to afford a
pair of glasses. The national health
insurance covers for most eye exams but does not cover prescription eye
glasses. This means that those needing glasses either have to find the money to
purchase them or go without.
Ophthalmic nurse Korkor, preparing to see a patient at the clinic's vision room
In 2012 and 2013, the Church where I worship, First United
Methodist, Andover Campus, in Lexington Kentucky, came to Ghana and conducted
free eye clinics in Oyoko and Bedaase, two villages in the Ashanti region. We
brought about 2000 pairs of eye glasses and about half of those were given out
with the remainder placed in storage. This eye opening experience and ministry time in Ghana was documented and can
be found at http://andoveringhana.blogspot.com/2012/03/away-we-go-patiently.html
A few months ago I discussed with church's head pastor about the possibility of donating the glasses to the hospital and he supported the idea. On August 7th 2017, I donated the eye glasses to the hospital, on
behalf of First United Methodist. These
glasses will be very useful to those patients who cannot afford a pair of prescription
lenses. Also, they will help the hospital
in reaching out to more patients in the catchment area.
Receiving the eye glasses on behalf of the hospital - From left to right: Mr Amankwaa (hospital's CEO), Nurse Korkor, Dr. Prempeh and I
We are very grateful to First United Methodist for this generous
gesture. We pray for more opportunities to help us in our quest to reach out to
the communities around us.
Comfort, the clinic's optician, sorts through some of the donated glasses
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