Our work in Ghana
In June 2018, Ghana was confirmed as the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to eliminate trachoma, thanks to the work of Sightsavers and our partners.
Ghana, on the west coast of Africa, boasts consistent economic growth and political stability, yet several blinding diseases are endemic in the country.
Sightsavers has worked in Ghana since the 1950s, and we’re on track to tackle these diseases for good. In June 2018, Ghana was confirmed as the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to eliminate trachoma following, the efforts of the ministry of health and partners including Sightsavers.
Now we are working to eliminate river blindness and lymphatic filariasis too. We tackle these diseases through mass drug administration (MDA), in which medication is given to large sections of the population to prevent the spread of the diseases. In 2018, we helped to distribute more than 3.8 million treatments for neglected tropical diseases across the country, and trained 20,000 local volunteers to give out medication in their communities.
In 2016 we also helped to screen schoolchildren in Ghana for health problems such as poor vision and worm infections, and distributed spectacles and treatments. This was part of our School Health Integrated Programming (SHIP) project.
Watch the video below to see the story of trachoma elimination in Ghana.
At a glance
Total populationWhat we focus on
Key programmes
How we’re making a difference in Ghana
Banishing trachoma
In late 2017, a team of eye care workers raced through cities and villages in Ghana to find any remaining trachoma patients.
Read about our trip
Disability rights
Sightsavers advocacy adviser Gertrude Fefoame, who is based in Ghana, has been elected to the UN's disability committee.
Read about Gertrude
Changing lives
As part of our work to eliminate trachoma, we examined millions of people, diagnosed them and referred them for sight-saving treatment.
Read their stories
Your donation could help to protect sight
DONATEMore from Ghana
Agatha's Story
Dr Agatha Aboe, from Ghana, has worked at Sightsavers for 10 years. She’s extremely dedicated to eliminating the blinding neglected tropical disease trachoma.
Celebrating our health workers on World Health Day
As we thank all our health workers on World Health Day, meet six who have worked with Sightsavers to help improve eye care for people in their communities.
Sightsavers are runners up for two global development awards
A pioneer in disease elimination and a groundbreaking project to make workplaces more inclusive have been recognised by the prestigious Bond awards.
World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day: highlights from around the world
On 30 January, Sightsavers joined in celebrations for the first ever World NTD Day around the world.
October updates: highlights from around the world
In Nigeria, an eye health volunteer has been rewarded for helping to prevent river blindness for more than 20 years. Plus news from Zimbabwe, Ghana and Mali.
Including people with disabilities in African political life
Our research shows that a lack of education and financial resources, social stigma and inaccessible physical infrastructure mean fewer people with disabilities are participating in politics in Africa.
Universal health coverage in Ghana: how can we really make progress?
At the heart of universal health care is equity, and a key question any country must ask when making roadmaps for UHC is who to include first.
It’s all about the numbers: how economics is helping us to save sight in schools
By using economics, we can make sure our school eye screening programmes are affordable and efficient, ensuring thousands of children in poorer countries can get the eye care they need.
Meet Mary, a sight-saving volunteer
Mary, a dedicated mother of seven, used to work as a teacher. Now, she is saving sight in Asubende village in Ghana, by distributing medication to protect people from river blindness. Here you can meet some of the people she has helped.
“Grace gave me the courage to empower people with disabilities”
On International Women's Day, disability ambassador Gertrude Oforiwa Fefoame remembers Grace Preko, her friend, sister and role model who showed her there was life after blindness.
Ghana waves goodbye to trachoma
In June 2018 Ghana officially became trachoma-free, showing how your kind donations make a real difference.
What we’ve learned from trachoma elimination in Ghana
Sarah Bartlett discusses Sightsavers’ involvement in this milestone, what we’ve learned from the experience and the work that lies ahead.
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