Cataract Outreach in Eastern Region of Ghana

A team from the KATH Eye Center in Kumasi, Ghana set out to Krobo Odumasi in the Eastern Region to conduct a cataract surgical campaign from February 27-March 1. Among those in attendance were Dr. Amos Aikins, Dr. Doreen Frampong, Orbis International Fellow Dr. Katie Hallahan, and residents Dr. Akosua Mensa-Bonsu and Dr. Joseph Kwarteng, along with a team of ophthalmic nurses and optometrists. Over the course of 3 days, they were able to perform 134 cataract and 12 pterygium surgeries.

Many of the cataract patients presented with bilateral cataracts. When they arrived at the clinic, they could not see at all, requiring walking sticks and the assistance of family members to simply move around. After 2 consecutive surgeries, one day after the next, they had regained their sight and went home with smiles on their faces, leaving their walking sticks behind.

A week prior to the surgical event, a screening team took the lead to work with staff at local clinics to identify and schedule candidates for cataract surgery. They worked tirelessly to announce the free screening event, check patients’ eyes for cataracts and make reminder calls to patients the night before their scheduled surgery. Thank you to the whole KATH team for their hard work and dedication to eliminating cataract blindness in Ghana.

To read about patients who received treatment in Krobo Odumasi, see Postcards from the Field.