15 Schoolchildren at Jirapa receive free eye glasses

Some schoolchildren at Jirapa have undergone free eyescreening to detect any challenge with their sight  to receive the needed treatment to help them stay in school.

At the end of the exercise, 15 children who were diagnosed with various eye conditions were treated and provided with the needed medication to help correct the defect.

The exercise, spearheaded by Bliss Eye Care, a private eye clinic at Wa, was in partnership with Vision Ghana, a Swiss-based charitable organisation, under the Blissful Sight for Kids (BS4Ks).

The project has since 2015 impacted many children in the Upper West Region through the free provision of eye screening, medications, surgeries and eye glasses to help save their sight and improve their academic work.

Most precious gift

Among the beneficiaries were a 13-year-old  basic seven learner, Melissa Aganpoga Awuni,  who described the provision of a pair of eye glasses as the most precious gift to help improve her sight and keep her on track on her academic journey.

The young girl had been suffering from an eye condition for sometime but had been unable to get the needed help until the team from Bliss Eye Care arrived for the free screening. 
After being presented with her new eye glasses, the young learner expressed appreciation to her benefactors for keeping her dream alive.

“I used to be within the first to fifth position in my class when I started school but because I can not see well, my performance began dipping.

“Having been diagnosed and now presented with my eye glasses, it will help me get back on track with my strong performance and position in class,” she said.

Prioritise eye care

An Optometrist and Manager of Bliss Eye Care, Dr Zakarea Al-Hassan Balure, stressed the need for parents to prioritise their children’s eye care.

He said that was important because it would help preserve the sight of the children as any challenge detected early would receive early treatment.

The Paramount Chief of the Jirapa Traditional Area, Naa Dinaa Donglabong Ganaa III, commended the medical team for their intervention which would help save the sight of the beneficiaries.

“Sight is very crucial, especially for these young ones. It is good that the children with issues with their sight have been identified and are receiving early treatment and care. That will help them, and hopefully they can have their sights to pursue their dreams,” Naa Ganaa III stated.