International Volunteer Opportunities Details
Details for Patriensa Village in Asante Akim District, Ghana
June 1-30; July 1-31; August 1-31 (volunteers may participate in more than 1 session)
Unite For Sight volunteers work with an optometrist to provide screening outreach services in the community. Patients receive surgery and ophthalmic care by the eye clinic staff of Agogo Hospital. The program is coordinated with the Asante Akim Multipurpose Community Telecentre
Patriensa is a village in the Asante Akim District in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. The village is located 3 hours from Accra and 1 hour from Kumasi.
Upon arrival in Ghana, volunteers will receive Orientation and Training in Accra and lodge for 1-2 days at the Telecentre Bed and Breakfast, which costs $25/day, not including lunch and dinner. Volunteers will then proceed to Patriensa.
This program is suitable to anyone over the age of 18 with an interest in international service and health. Volunteers range from gap year students, undergraduate students, and medical students to public health students, public health professionals, nurses, educators, opticians, optometrists, and others.
Optometrists committing to participate for at least 3 weeks will receive a free airline ticket from Emirates Airlines.
Ghana
- There are an estimated 45 million blind people and 135 million visually impaired people worldwide.
- 80% of blindness is preventable or curable.
- There are 48 qualified optometrists in Ghana, with 1 optometrist per 396,000 people.
- There are 43 ophthalmologists in Ghana, with 1 ophthalmologist per 442,000 people.
- Some regions, such as Tamale, have 1 ophthalmologist per 2 million people.
- Around 50% of blindness in sub-Saharan Africa is due to cataract.
- Approximately 7.1% of the world's blind people live in sub-Saharan Africa