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Optometrist worried over cases of cataract among children in Savannah Region
An Optometrist in the Upper West Region, Dr Zakarea Al-hassan Balure has expressed concern over the number of cataract cases identified among children in the Gindabo area council in the Savannah Region.
The doctor was more worried that old age disease existed among children in the area and attributed the cause to the kind of activities and jobs people in the area were engaged in.
His concern stemmed from the fact that some of the children who patronised a free eye screening exercise for some 738 at Ginda were diagnosed with the cataract condition.
The screening was undertaken by Bliss Eye Care, a Wa-based private eye clinic in the Upper West Region which is under the management of Dr Balure.
The eye screening was under a project dubbed “Blissful Sight for Kids” project and funded by Ghana Vision, a non-profit organisation based in Switzerland.
The screening also came with some basic eye care services for people who needed immediate attention as well as giving out specific drugs and glasses for specific conditions whereas those with very severe conditions were profiled for further treatment at Wa.
According to the doctor, even though many people in the community could not make it to the screening, the cataract prevalence among the participants was very alarming and would require a deliberate plan to screen more people in the area for immediate treatment.
He defined cataract as the clouding of the clear lens of the eye and which normally developed as people aged.
He was also concerned about a trachoma case which was identified and said the case was the fourth since the beginning of the project implementation in rural areas of the Upper West Region.
Dr Balure used the opportunity to appeal to the public to take good care of their eyes and endeavour to take advantage of such eye screening exercises to know the status of their sight organs.
“We can prevent needless blindness and eye complications if we are proactive in some of these things so I will mobilise with my team and see how many more people we can screen in subsequent exercises”, he added.
The assembly member for the area, Mr Abass Braimahsaid people had various eye conditions in the area due to the nature of jobs they were engaged in which included farming and the burning of charcoal.
He mentioned that even if they developed such conditions there was no eye unit at the health centre which served over 60 communities in the area council.
“The only time you see people going to the hospital for eye services is when they can no longer contain the pain of whatever they are feeling in their eyes and that is because apart from financial challenges, the nearest hospital for such services is at either Bole or Wa which are quite far from here so they prefer to suffer in silence”, he said
This challenge the assembly member noted would be solved if an eye professional was added to the staff at the Gindabo health centre to help screen residents with eye problems regularly and advise for further treatment.
He commended Bliss Eye Care for the intervention.
FROM LYDIA DARLINGTON FORDJOUR, GINDABO
The Ashanti South Regional Police Intelligence Directorate has arrested two suspects in connection with a robbery attack on an Indian national in Obuasi and a separately planned robbery operation targeting a distribution company in the same area.
On April 16, 2026, Police received credible intelligence that a group of armed men were planning an attack in Obuasi. A police team moved swiftly into the area and arrested suspect Iddrisu Fuseini, also known as “Iddi”, at his hideout in Bedieso, Obuasi.
During interrogation, he confessed to being part of a six-member gang that attacked an Indian national at his residence at New Baakoyeden, Obuasi, on April 12 2026, robbing him of GH₵150,000.00.
He disclosed that the attack was orchestrated following a tip-off from suspect Ibrahim, an employee of the victim, who informed the gang that the victim kept large sums of money.
Further investigations led to the arrest of a second suspect, Shaibu Mohammed, also known as “SM” or “Cicinati”, on 20th April 2026 at his hideout in Gausu, Obuasi. During interrogation, he admitted to participating in the planning of the robbery and confirmed that the gang had further planned to rob a distribution company near Mawuli Hotel in Obuasi.
Investigations have further revealed that both suspects are currently standing trial at the Obuasi Circuit Court in connection with a separate robbery of GH₵600,000.00.
A manhunt is ongoing to arrest the remaining accomplices, identified as Khalifa, Edward, Prof, Waddle, Ebbe, and Ibrahim, and to recover a pump action gun and a locally manufactured pistol believed to be in their possession.
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Christian Tetteh Yohuno, together with members of the Police Management Board (POMAB), on April 17, 2026, decorated nineteen (19) senior officers who have been promoted to their next ranks based on the recommendations of the Police Council and approval of the President, John Dramani Mahama.
The ceremony, held at the National Police Headquarters in Accra, forms part of efforts to recognise merit, dedication, and long-standing service within the Ghana Police Service, while strengthening leadership across key operational and administrative levels.
The officers promoted from Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) to Commissioner of Police (COP) are Dr. Luke Asue-In-Yeng Zakpaa, Mr. Frederick Agyei, Mr. Duuti Tuaruka, Mr. Arthur Osei-Akoto, Mr. Darko Offei Lomotey, Mr. Eric Ken Winful, Mr. Barnabas Nambont Nasumong, and Mr. Desmond Owusu Boampong.
The IGP and members of POMAB congratulated the officers and urged them to uphold the highest standards of professionalism and integrity in the discharge of their duties.
