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Optic neuropathic cases high in three Northern regions
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Examine the eyes regularly
Dr Judith Simon, former Head of the Eye Unit of the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH) and Medical Director of Northern Community Eye Hospital, a specialist eye hospital in Tamale has complained of a worrying increase in cases of optic neuropathy, a condition that can lead to vision loss or blindness if left untreated.
In an interview with The Spectator in her office in Tamale, she said, over 200 cases have been recorded in the past few months, attributing the rise to severe vitamin deficiencies, particularly vitamins B12, B1, and folate, which are critical for maintaining a healthy optic nerve.
She said places affected most include the Northern, Upper East, and Upper West regions, where access to diverse diets and healthcare services was limited.
“We are seeing an unprecedented number of patients with optic neuropathy, particularly from areas where food insecurity is rampant. These patients are often severely malnourished, and many arrive too late to reverse the damage,” she said.
Dr Simon said optic neuropathy, which involves damage to the optic nerve, can result from various causes, including nutritional deficiencies, chronic diseases like diabetes, and the side effects of certain medications. In this recent surge, malnutrition appears to be the primary driver.
She urged residents in affected areas to seek medical attention at the first sign of vision problems, which can include blurred vision, loss of colour perception, or dark spots in the field of view.
“Early intervention can significantly improve outcomes, though many cases go undetected until the damage is irreversible,” she added.
A health worker (name withheld) at the Eye Department in the Upper East Regional Hospital confirmed such cases and called for immediate action to combat it.
The worker called for increased distribution of vitamin supplements and better access to nutritious food.
The staff also said, the recent spike in optic neuropathy cases serves as a reminder of the broader challenges facing rural communities, where healthcare infrastructure and basic nutritional needs remain unmet.
Dr Abdulai Abukari, the Northern Regional Director of the Ghana Health Service, in a brief interview confirmed reports of the cases which he said the service was currently investigating.
He said, there was a public awareness campaign ongoing in various health facilities to educate people on the importance of a balanced diet and regular eye check-ups, especially in vulnerable communities.
From Geoffrey Buta, Tamale
Malta and Ghana have an opportunity to build a forward-looking partnership in artificial intelligence, combining Malta’s institutional agility and European regulatory experience with Ghana’s talent, scale and regional influence.
Malta’s High Commissioner to Ghana, Ronald Micallef, made the call at One Vecta Africa AI Week 2026 in Accra, where he proposed a structured dialogue bringing together governments, regulators, universities and the private sector.
He said the dialogue should move beyond broad declarations and identify a small number of practical initiatives with responsible institutions and measurable outcomes.
“Malta’s experience offers three broad lessons: build institutions people can trust, give everyone the capacity to understand and question artificial intelligence, and keep human values and national purpose at the centre,” High Commissioner Micallef said.
Malta launched its national AI strategy in 2019 with a vision extending to 2030. The country has since strengthened the institutional foundations needed to regulate and support the responsible use of emerging technologies.
Central to this effort is the Malta Digital Innovation Authority, established by law and designated as Malta’s notifying authority and principal market-surveillance authority under the European Union’s AI Act, working alongside other sectoral regulators.
“A strategy needs more than ambition. Every commitment must have a responsible institution, a budget and a measurable result,” the High Commissioner stated.
He also highlighted Malta’s AI for All programme, developed by the Malta Digital Innovation Authority in collaboration with the University of Malta. The free online programme allows citizens and residents aged 14 and over to acquire foundational AI knowledge in Maltese or English.
According to High Commissioner Micallef, AI literacy is rapidly becoming a civic necessity. People must be able not only to use artificial intelligence, but also to question its outputs, recognise its limitations and understand how it may affect their lives.
Drawing on Ghana’s tradition of Sankofa, he warned that the development of artificial intelligence raises important questions about whose histories, languages and knowledge are preserved.
He quoted the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, who recently observed: “The palace must remain a guardian of memory. But it must also become a workshop for the future.”
“Sankofa has a direct relevance to artificial intelligence,” High Commissioner Micallef said. “If societies do not make deliberate choices, their languages, memories and ways of understanding the world may be diminished rather than strengthened.”
He linked this thinking to Project ETHICS, a Malta-supported initiative developed with Step Up Nigeria and partners in Ghana. The project encourages young people to examine integrity, empathy, responsibility, fairness and service within their everyday lives and communities.
The High Commissioner said Ghana’s interest in strengthening ethics education offers fertile ground for cooperation, particularly as young people prepare to engage with increasingly powerful but fallible technological systems.
He also invited Ghanaian institutions to participate in shaping the proposed Sovereign Technology Centre on Malta’s sister island of Gozo.
The centre, which remains at a formative stage, is envisaged as a solar-powered platform for research and testing in sovereign technologies, including artificial intelligence.
“Sovereign AI does not mean isolation,” he explained. “It means retaining meaningful control over essential data, computing infrastructure, standards and critical systems.”
Potential areas for Malta–Ghana cooperation include AI assurance and regulation, AI literacy, ethics education, data governance, joint research and collaboration with the proposed Gozo centre.
High Commissioner Micallef stressed that the partnership should not involve simply transferring one country’s model to another.
“Malta and Ghana bring different but complementary strengths. The purpose is to learn from one another and build approaches suited to our respective national realities.”
“The future will belong not to those with the most intelligent machines, but to those with the wisdom to decide what intelligence is for,” he concluded.
By Chris Koney
The Paramount Chief of Bamvum, Abdulai Ziblim, has donated a one-acre plot of land at Jongshegu, a suburb of Tamale, to the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) for the construction of a new fire station.
The Northern Regional Commander of the GNFS, ACFO I Joseph Koranteng, led a delegation to formally accept the land and expressed appreciation to the Chief for his commitment to public safety.
The proposed fire station is expected to improve emergency response times and strengthen fire safety coverage as Jongshegu and surrounding communities continue to expand rapidly.
The Chief called on stakeholders to support the swift development of the facility, while ACFO I Koranteng described the donation as a strong example of collaboration between traditional authorities and state institutions to protect lives and property.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
