Gertrude Guoltere: Nurse who travels miles to restore vision

Access to health care remains a significant challenge for people living in rural areas.

However, thanks to dedicated professionals such as Gertrude Guoltere—a Specialist Ophthalmic Nurse based in Wa—eye care is gradually becoming more accessible.

Driven by compassion and a deep commitment to preserve and restore vision, Gertrude has gone above and beyond in using her skills to make a meaningful difference in the lives of patients who struggle to access regular eye care services.

In an interview with The Mirror, Ms Guoltere said she had served for the past 15 years as an ophthalmic nurse and currently holds the distinction of being the only Specialist Ophthalmic Nurse in the entire Upper West Region.

Affectionately known as “Getty,” she has devoted her career to caring for the less privileged.

On her initiative, she extends her services to hard-to-reach communities to ensure they benefit from her expertise.

A native of Nandom in the Upper West Region, Getty spent most of her life in Jirapa, where she completed her education from primary school through to tertiary level.

She only moved to Accra, specifically the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, to pursue her specialist training in ophthalmic nursing.

In her commitment to serve her people, she has remained in the Upper West Region, working in towns such as Jirapa, Nandom, Kaleo and Wa, where she currently manages the St Francis Xavier Clinic, a facility under the Christian Health Association of Ghana. (CHAG).

Smiles Project

Recognising the critical shortage of eye care specialists in the region, she resolved to dedicate herself to providing these essential services to hard-to-reach communities. She sought support for those needing surgeries and ensured they received the necessary help to restore their vision.

Ms Guoltere treating some patients

This commitment birthed the Smiles Project, an initiative aimed at extending eye care services to underserved areas, collaborating with charitable organisations to offer free treatment to those in need, and providing public education on eye health.

Through the Smiles Project, Ms Guoltere has brought smiles to countless faces in the Upper West Region. She said many who were on the verge of losing their sight regained their vision.

Motivated by her passion to do more, she pursued further education at the Ghana College of Nurses and Midwives in Accra, becoming a Specialist Ophthalmic Nurse. She is currently the only one in the entire Upper West Region.

“In fact, at the time I went for the training, we were just four—one each from the Greater Accra, Ashanti, Northern and Upper West regions,” she said.

Though already in the field of eye care, she said it was after her specialist training that she expanded her outreach beyond her facility.

“Xavier is not a big place; I don’t see many cases, so I decided to extend my services to the periphery.

Any time a facility has an eye care programme and I am informed, I willingly make myself available to do the work.”

Upon returning from her studies, she realised her impact could be greater.

“I discussed it with my director to extend my services to Funsi in the Wa East District,” she said.

Her interest in Funsi was sparked by the absence of an ophthalmic nurse—the previous one had retired, and the district had not seen a replacement in years. The eye care centre was at risk of being converted into residential space for staff, she noted, “because there was no one there.”

In addition, the long distance to Wa and the lack of transportation made it difficult for residents with eye conditions to access care.

“When I returned from school, I discussed with my director that I wanted to extend my service there and explore there,” she explained.

Her director approved her request to carry out outreach programmes in the area to ensure that the clinic—built by the Red Cross—remained functional. She also hoped to train someone to eventually take over operations.

Assistance

While working in Funsi, she reached out to the local Member of Parliament for help to provide eye care to residents.

Gertrude Guoltere

“He assisted me and we carried out another outreach programme. We got cases and helped them do the surgeries,” she said.

She explained that a surgical team was scheduled to visit the region, and she lobbied for Funsi to be included.

“I had to lobby to include Funsi to be part of the surgery because most of them, if you ask them to come to Wa, due to financial constraints, they may not come.”

As a result of her intervention, 22 people from Funsi received free eye surgery and regained their sight.

Replacement and training

Thanks to her recommendation, the facility has now assigned a nurse for specialist ophthalmic training. Upon completion, he is expected to return and manage the eye care centre.

Miss Guoltere has pledged to assist him once he returns, ensuring the facility becomes fully operational.

Although there is currently no ophthalmologist in the region, she believes that with the right support, ophthalmic nurses could offer essential services, while complex cases can be referred.

Recently, 78 people in Wecchiau in the Wa West Municipality received sight-restoring surgeries through the Smiles Project.

Beyond surgeries, the project also distributes free reading glasses, conducts advocacy for improved eye care in rural areas, and encourages early treatment. She also collaborates with local radio stations to educate the public.

“My work is not just about improving sight but changing lives,” she said.

Recognition

Her work has not gone unnoticed. For her efforts, she was awarded the Best Nurse Award at the Wa Metropolitan level. Most recently, she was adjudged first runner-up during the Upper West Regional Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association week celebration.

Challenges

Despite the impact, the journey has not been easy. “Transportation is one of the main challenges facing the project,” she said, noting the difficulty of moving between locations and transporting patients for specialist care.

“I mostly use my resources to undertake the project, and this is also a drain on my pocket, but the joy and smiles on the faces of the clients after they have had their sight restored keep me going.”

Family

Miss Guoltere is the second of five children—and the only girl—born to her parents. She is married with four children and a former student of St Francis Girls' Senior High School in Jirapa.

She trained as a nurse at the Jirapa Nursing and Midwifery Training College.