SDA HOSPITAL, SUNYANI
EYE UNIT
2023 GLAUCOMA WEEK CELEBRATION REPORT

World Glaucoma Week is observed in the second full week of March every year. “The World is bright, Save your sight” was the theme of this year’s World Glaucoma Week. As a health institution, a committee of four professionals comprising Dr Bright Yaw Okyere (Optometrist), Dr Louis Oteng-Gyimah (Ophthalmologist), Mrs Juliana Pokuaa (Ophthalmic Nurse) and Mrs Esther Kwahene (Health Promotion Officer) was set for the planning and execution of our Glaucoma week programme which happened on 11th of March and ended 17th of March, 2023.
Activities planned for the Programme included;
1. Launch of Glaucoma Week Celebration and free eye screening at Hope SDA Church, Nkwabeng on 11/03/23
2. Public Education and free health screening at COCOBOD, Sunyani
3. Climax: Time with our Glaucoma patients and free screening on 17/03/23
Mega Life Sciences, Vision Spring International and St. Ignatius Eye Center were contacted for sponsorship and the media partners were Radio BAR, Bono Radio and Citi TV.
The Eye Care Team of the facility was entrusted with certain roles to make the programme catchy and memorable. The professionals of the eye care team included;
1. Dr Louis Oteng-Gyimah (Ophthalmologist)
2. Dr Bright Yaw Okyere (Optometrist)
3. Dr. Ebenezer Manu (Optometrist)
4. Mrs Gifty Kyeraa (Ophthalmic Nurse)
5. Mrs Aboagyewaa Bannor (Ophthalmic Nurse)
6. Mrs Juliana Pokuaa (Ophthalmic Nurse)
7. Mr Williams Dakpo (Intern Ophthalmic Nurse)
8. Mrs Esther Kwahene (Health Promotion Officer)
9. Mr Benjamin Kyeremeh (Optician)
10. Miss Naomi Yeboah (Optician)
Launch of Glaucoma Week Celebration and free eye screening at Hope SDA Church
Some special guests were invited to grace the programme. These guests were;
1. Dr Amo Kordieh, Bono Regional Director of Health.
2. Dr Philip Fobi Karikari, Medical Director of SDA Hospital, Sunyani.
3. Mrs Nana Ama Asirifua, Bono Health Promotion Officer.
4. Mr Enoch Nketiah, Health Service Administrator of SDA Hospital, Sunyani
5. Mr Kwame Adu Twum, Nutritionist of SDA Hospital.
Church leaders and church members of Hope SDA Church welcomed the team and offered a warm reception. The launch programme started at 10.30 am. All invited guests and the eye care team were seated and introduced by Mr Kwame Adu. All guests gave out their presentations coupled with intervening episodes of music and media coverage. A series of live interviews were made and the programme ended at 1:00 pm. The total number of participants was 321.
About 30 minutes after the launch programme, the screening exercise started. Eye professionals from St. Ignatius Eye Center, a representative of Vision Spring International came to support the exercise. Free reading glasses were given to those who really needed them. It ended successfully at 5:30 pm and the team dispersed. In total, 247 people were screened and 14 either had glaucoma or were glaucoma suspects.
Public Education and Free Health Screening at COCOBOD
Following the main aim of the World Glaucoma Week celebration (thus, to create awareness of glaucoma), a series of education on radio, social media and at the facility were completed throughout the week. The health screening exercise took place at COCOBOD Sunyani primary on 15/03/2023. Services rendered were vitals assessment, Blood Glucose assessment, BMI and free eye screening. In all, 99 staff were screened, 4 had Glaucoma and 6 were glaucoma suspects. Those suspected to have glaucoma were asked to do diagnostic tests to be brought to the facility. Free eye supplements and glasses were dispatched during the screening.
Climax: Time with Glaucoma Patients and Free Glaucoma Screening
On 17/03/2023 at 10.00 am, the week’s programme climaxed at the South Ridge SDA chapel by inviting our glaucoma patients and their relatives. Activities such as Glaucoma education, drug administration techniques, and Glaucoma video show were conducted by selected staff of the eye unit and the health promotion officer. These were Dr Manu, Mrs Pokuaa, Dr Okyere and Mrs Kwahene respectively. The idea of establishing a Glaucoma Patient Association was disclosed to the patients and their response was affirmative. They were promised of subsequent meetings where further details will be communicated about the launch. Free eye supplements donated by Mega Life Sciences were distributed among them, a photo shoot was done and the meeting ended at 1:00 pm. Mr Kwame Adu moderated the entire programme. Free eye screening continued at the eye clinic premises till the close of the day. Nine (9) out of twenty (20) glaucoma patients honoured the invite.
Compiled by
Dr Bright Yaw Okyere
(Optometrist)

Organized by

EYE DEPARTMENT OF SUNYANI SDA HOSPITAL

Contact: Louis Oteng-Gyimah
Contact Email: otenggyimah.louis@gmail.com


Category: Awareness

When?

11/03/2023 - 17/03/2023
8:00 am - 3:30 pm
iCal

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Where?

SUNYANI
SUNYANI SDA HOSPITAL, P.O. BOX Q411, SUNYANI
SUNYANI
BONO
BS00624302
BONO