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

The facility was inaugurated by the Deputy Minister for Health, Grace Ayensu-Danquah, who described the centre as a major boost to specialised eye care delivery in the region.

The 33-bed centre, fitted with three modern operating theatres, is the first of its kind in the Central Region and is expected to serve as a referral hub for neighbouring regions.

It will offer comprehensive ophthalmic services, including cataract and glaucoma management, refractive care, and advanced posterior segment treatments.

The establishment of the centre is expected to significantly ease the burden on patients who previously had to travel long distances to access specialised eye care services.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Prof. Ayensu-Danquah noted that cataract remains the leading cause of preventable blindness in Ghana, with many patients unable to undergo timely surgical intervention due to limited access to specialist facilities.

She further disclosed that outreach programmes linked to the centre have already screened a substantial number of patients, underscoring the growing demand for accessible and affordable eye care services.

The new facility is also expected to serve as a training hub for eye care professionals, strengthening human resource capacity in ophthalmology and contributing to improved healthcare outcomes nationwide.