“Eye health must not sit at margins of health system” - Deputy Minister for Health

The Ministry of Health has reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to making essential eye care accessible to all citizens by integrating primary eye health services into routine primary healthcare.

Deputy Minister for Health, Hon. Prof. Dr. Grace Ayensu-Danquah, said the move was necessary to address preventable vision impairment and ensure that people did not lose their sight simply because basic eye services were unavailable, unaffordable or too far from their communities.

She made the call in a keynote address delivered on her behalf by Dr. Ignatius Awinibuno, Director of Allied Health at the Ministry of Health, at the national commemoration of the 2026 World Sight Day in Accra.

The commemoration was held under the global theme, “Love Your Eyes,” with Ghana adopting the national theme, “Eye Care for All: Integrating Vision into Primary Healthcare.”

Prof. Ayensu-Danquah said the national theme reflected Ghana’s ambition to ensure that every person, regardless of where they lived, could obtain essential eye care without undue hardship.

She stressed that eye health went beyond the health sector, noting that good vision was closely linked to education, productivity, independence, social inclusion and national development.

The Deputy Minister drew attention to the continuing global burden of vision impairment, citing World Health Organization estimates that at least 2.2 billion people worldwide live with near or distance vision impairment.

She noted that at least one billion of these cases could have been prevented or had yet to be addressed, with refractive errors and cataracts remaining major causes of vision impairment and blindness.

According to the address, limited access to spectacles and cataract surgery continues to affect millions of people, particularly in low-income settings, with vision impairment also carrying a substantial economic cost through lost productivity.

The situation, she said, demonstrated the need for countries to move beyond treating eye disease only at specialised facilities and instead incorporate essential eye services into primary healthcare.

Prof. Ayensu-Danquah said a person visiting a health centre should be able to receive basic eye screening, appropriate information and timely referral where specialised treatment was required.

She identified early detection of childhood vision problems, regular eye examinations for people living with diabetes, and timely treatment of cataracts as areas requiring particular attention.

“Eye health must not sit at the margins of the health system. It must be part of routine primary healthcare,” she said.

She emphasised that preventable vision loss had consequences for entire families and communities, citing children unable to see clearly in the classroom, farmers whose ability to work safely was affected, and older people who lost their independence because they could not access basic eye services.

National Eye Health Policy nearing completion

The Ministry of Health is also at an advanced stage in finalising Ghana’s National Eye Health Policy, according to the Deputy Minister.

She said the policy would provide a national framework for integrated, accessible, equitable and quality eye health services.

The proposed policy is expected to strengthen coordination, financing, workforce development, referral systems, accountability and the use of eye health data for planning.

Prof. Ayensu-Danquah commended members of the National Eye Health Technical Working Group for contributing their expertise and time to the policy development process.

She also acknowledged development partners and other organisations that had provided financial and technical support.

Looking ahead, the Ministry outlined several priorities for strengthening eye health delivery.

These include expanding primary eye care nationwide, training and equipping primary healthcare workers, strengthening referral pathways and improving access to cataract surgery and refractive services.

Greater attention will also be given to school eye health and the needs of vulnerable populations.

The Ministry further intends to improve the collection and use of eye health information to support planning and accountability.

“What we measure, we can manage. What we manage well, we can improve,” Prof. Ayensu-Danquah said.

Ghana to take eye health agenda to global summit

Ghana is expected to participate in the Global Eye Health Summit in Antigua and Barbuda in November 2026, where the country will share its experience and commitments in advancing eye health.

According to the Deputy Minister, Ghana will highlight the integration of primary eye care into the Free Primary Health Care Policy and outline its commitment to strengthening eye health delivery systems.

She said the approach was consistent with Ghana’s broader health policies, including the National Health Policy, the Universal Health Coverage Roadmap, the National Non-Communicable Disease Policy and the Essential Health Services Package.

Prof. Ayensu-Danquah urged Ghanaians to take greater responsibility for protecting their vision by undergoing regular eye examinations and seeking care promptly when they notice changes in their eyesight.

Parents and teachers, she said, should pay attention to children who struggle to read or see clearly, while people living with diabetes should undergo regular eye examinations because of the risk of diabetes-related eye complications.

She also cautioned the public against harmful practices and the use of unprescribed eye medicines.

Health workers were urged to make eye health an integral part of everyday primary care, while development partners, professional associations, civil society organisations and the media were encouraged to support public education on eye health.

The Deputy Minister said the ultimate goal was to ensure that no Ghanaian lost their sight because essential care was inaccessible.

“Loving our eyes must be more than a slogan. It must mean prevention. It must mean early detection. It must mean timely treatment. Above all, it must mean access for everyone,” she said.

She added that investing in vision was an investment in education, productivity, independence, dignity and Ghana’s future.

“Love your eyes. See the future.”

Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith