Two faculty members of the School of Optometry and Vision Science (SOVs) have secured a $25,000 grant from Optometry Giving Sight (OGS) for an outreach programme known as “Community Eye Care Project.”
The Project, dubbed: Optometric Service and Community Outreach Practical Experience (Opto-SCOPE) - is led by Dr. Michael Ntodie and Dr. Enyam Morny.
The project seeks to provide sustained optometric services to underserved communities while offering final-year optometry students invaluable clinical training under the direct supervision of faculty members.
Dr. Michael Ntodie
Unlike traditional, one-time outreach efforts, Opto-SCOPE introduces a sustainable model of continuous community engagement, enhancing both public access to essential eye care and the professional development of optometrists.
As part of the project, Opto-SCOPE will establish mobile eye care units within Community-based Health Planning Services (CHPS) compounds in the Central Region.
Speaking at the launch of the Project, Dr. Michael Ntodie said, through the project, students would be supervised and guided in delivering community-oriented eye care services.
“We will train Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) nurses to measure visual acuity, identify common eye conditions, and facilitate referrals – ensuring continuity of care for patients,” he added.
Dr. Enyam Morny
Dr. Ntodie noted that the Opto-SCOPE would cover five communities across two districts in the Central region in the first year.
“Beyond this, we envision scaling up this model to additional districts and linking it with our partner NGOs so that community screening by others can transition seamlessly into our follow-up and referral care system,” he continued.
The Project Lead stressed that: “This project will provide essential optometric services to communities with limited access, and offer hands-on, supervised practical experience to final-year students of SOVS.”
The Dean of SOVS, Prof. Stephen Ocansey, in a welcome address, expressed excitement about the timeliness of the grant and lauded the two faculty members for securing the grant.
He noted that the project would go a long way in addressing community eye care challenges facing Ghana.
“Our outreach mandate as a School has always been central to who we are. Through the Service and Community Outreach for Practical Experience (SCOPE) Unit, we have over the years brought eye care to rural and underserved communities across the Central Region,” he added.