“Your first point of call for any eye problem should not be the pharmacy,” Dr Yakubu Seidu Adam, Head of Department ofthe Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) Eye Centre, has advised.
He encouraged that the people rather report at the nearest primary healthcare facility for advice on any eye condition to prevent the worst.
“If you have watery eye, your eye is tearing or there is pains in the eye, it is not normal.Do not wait and put all kinds of medications into the eye.
Once you report early at a health centre, treatment is highly successful. If your primary healthcare provider is unable to solve the problem, they will refer you to appropriate quarters,” he urged.
Dr Adam was speaking with the Ghanaian Times in Accra yesterday at the unveiling of a plaque and dedication of a six-bed female ward of the KBTH Eye Centre in memory of Mrs Evelyn Tay, a key fundraiser of the hospital.
The works of Mrs Tay had seen the establishment of the over $3million specialist facility through collaboration with organisations like Lions Club International, Moorfields Eye Hospital and other government and philanthropic institutions.
Dr Adam, eulogising Mrs Tay who served as Resident Coordinator of the project, said the eye centre was now in the position to handle complex eye surgeries that present at the hospital.
“There is now no need to refer any person outside the country for eye surgery. We do all kinds of surgeries on the eye here; cataract surgeries, vitrectomy, retinopathy, prosthetics etc.”
The eye centre, according to the Head of Department, sees not less than 200 cases a day, mostly referrals, with common cases being cataract, glaucoma, retinopathy which is often complications from diseases like diabetes, among others.
“We receive cases from all over the country and the sub-region and we now get lots of referrals from the sub-region which point to the high-class, quality eye-care we offer here,” he said.
The Director of Medical Services of the KBTH, Dr Ali Samba, recounted the significant contribution of Mrs Tay to establishing other infrastructural projects of the hospital including its Plastic Surgery and Paediatric Oncology units.
He expressed hope that her legacy would be emulated by her children and other individuals in society to advance quality healthcare delivery in the country.
Ms Jill Tay, daughter of Mrs Tay, expressed gratitude to the hospital for the honour done the memory of her mother who passed away in 2020.
She pledged to do all within her might to continue from where her mother left off,to make life better and easier for all.
BY ABIGAIL ANNOH
