Cape Coast Teaching Hospital commissions $4m eye care and surgical training centre

The Cape Coast Teaching Hospital (CCTH) has inaugurated a modern 33-bed Eye Care and Surgical Training Centre of Excellence in the Central Regional capital to combat preventable blindness.

Valued at $4 million, the ultra-modern facility, the first and largest of its kind in the Central Region, is designed to meet pressing eye care needs in the Central, Western, and Western North Regions.

Covering 25,000 square feet over four floors, the centre is expected to expand surgical services, train more ophthalmologists, and support early detection and treatment of a wide range of eye conditions.

The project was funded by the Himalayan Cataract Project through its Cure Blindness initiative, alongside support from USAID. It features specialized rooms for refraction, posterior segment care, consultations, and diagnostics.

In addition, the facility houses male and female inpatient wards, two private wards, enlarged clinical areas, and an entire floor set aside for future expansion.

Commissioning the centre, Deputy Health Minister Dr Grace Ayensu-Danquah applauded the sponsors and emphasized the importance of the facility in delivering quality eye care services, especially to people in underserved and rural communities.

She noted that cataracts remain one of the leading causes of avoidable blindness globally, disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations with limited access to surgery. While praising ongoing government health interventions, she called for accelerated efforts, including expanded affordable eye care programmes and increased training for eye surgeons, to curb preventable blindness.

Dr Ayensu-Danquah stressed that the initiative aligns with the government’s commitment to Universal Health Coverage, ensuring that financial constraints do not prevent citizens from accessing essential eye care.

The Central Regional Minister, Ekow Panyin Okyere Eduamoah, commended the Himalayan Cataract Project for screening over 90,000 Ghanaians and performing more than 9,000 successful surgeries. He urged hospital authorities to maintain the new facility properly and encouraged health workers to uphold professionalism and compassion in their service delivery.

Dr Eric Kofi Ngyedu, Chief Executive Officer of CCTH, said the centre would significantly enhance the hospital’s ability to provide safe, timely, and specialized ophthalmic care, improve training, and deliver better patient outcomes, thereby reducing avoidable visual impairment.

“As a beneficiary institution, we sincerely appreciate this partnership and support in strengthening healthcare delivery. We are committed to maintaining the facility to ensure it serves its intended purpose,” he added.

K.T. Overbey, Chief Executive Officer of the Cure Blindness Project, described the centre as transformative for the community, addressing current eye health needs while positioning Ghana for a brighter future. She reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to eliminating preventable blindness through free high-volume screenings, surgeries, and training for local eye care professionals, particularly in underserved and rural areas.