The government has taken a major step toward reducing preventable blindness in the Central Region with the commissioning of a Surgical Eye and Training Centre at the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital.

The ceremony was led by the Deputy Minister for Health, Professor Dr Grace Ayensu-Danquah.

The 33-bed facility, the first of its kind in the region, features three state-of-the-art operating theatres and will serve as a referral hub for neighbouring regions.

It offers comprehensive eye care services, including cataract and glaucoma management, refractive care, and advanced posterior segment treatments, easing the burden for patients who previously had to travel long distances for specialised care.

Prof. Ayensu-Danquah highlighted that cataracts remain the leading cause of preventable blindness in Ghana, with many patients unable to access timely surgery.

She further noted that outreach programmes linked to the Centre have already screened over 90,000 people and treated more than 9,000 eyes, demonstrating the urgent need for expanded eye care services.

The project has received vital support from partners, including USAID, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the Cure Blindness Project, with the government facilitating tax waivers and exemptions on donated medical equipment.

Commissioning the facility on behalf of the government, the Deputy Minister described the Centre as a transformative step toward achieving Universal Health Coverage.

She stated that it aligns with the National Eye Health Policy and represents a renewed commitment to ensuring that no Ghanaian lives with avoidable blindness.