Indian eye specialists conduct 97 surgeries

Koforidua, May 5, GNA - A group of three Indian eye specialists and four nurses, with the support of a group of Ghanaian health personnel have conducted 69 eye surgeries in three days at an Eye Camp organised at the Koforidua Regional Hospital, which started on May 2.

The surgeries, which were basically cataract, had helped some people who were blinded by the disease to regain their sight. Dr James Addy, Head of the Eye Department of the Koforidua Regional Hospital disclosed this to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on Friday. He said the Indian health team, led by Dr Arulmozhi Varman of the Uma Eye Clinic, Anna Nager, India, was in the country under a collaborative programme between the Rotary Club of Ghana and India and the Ghana Health Service.

Dr Addy said last year, a similar team was in Koforidua for the first time, saying this year, apart from Koforidua, the team would also spend a week at Breman Asikuma in the Central Region. He said arrangements had been made for people with cataract and glaucoma cases to undergo surgery on Friday and Saturday, May 5 and 6, respectively.

Dr Addy said the Indian doctors were using the "small incision" cataract surgery methods, which was less costly, less time consuming and less painful, saying the Ghanaian health staff supporting them were understudying them to adopt the method. He invited people with eye problems to visit the Eye Clinic of the Koforidua Hospital to take advantage of the exercise.