The Ghana Manganese Company Limited (GMCL) has organized a free eye screening for five host communities in the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality to improve upon their sight.
The exercise was in collaboration with the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipal Health Directorate, and it covered communities such as Tarkwa Banso, Nsuta Zongo, Akyem, Bonsawire and Esuoso.
Mr Isaac Conduah, Senior Stakeholder Engagement Supervisor, GMCL, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), said because health formed part of their corporate social responsibility, they did not hesitate to support the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipal Health Directorate when they approached them for support.
He said although their target was to screen about 1,000 residents, more than 600 people have so far benefited from the exercise and those with severe eye-related problems would be referred to a specialist for treatment.
Mr Conduah was impressed with the turnout for the screening and said it was an indication that their host communities recognized the importance of a healthy eye, thanked leaders in the various communities for their role in organizing their people for the exercise.
Dr Emmanuel Lartey, Optometrist at the Tarkwa Municipal hospital, Eye Department, advised Ghanaians not to wait for their eye to go blur before they access healthcare because treatment for the eye was available when detected early, added, “at least go for eye screening once every year”.
He pointed out that “Most eye problems do not present any symptoms, so the best is to go for regular checkups at any health facility and when you hear of any eye screening in your community please go for the screening”
A beneficiary thanked the company for bringing the exercise to their community, adding “We don’t have the money to visit the hospital for such screening so GMCL should organize more of such programmes “
