Ashanti and Northern Region, Ghana Program Details
Program Overview
Unite For Sight Global Impact Fellows work with long-time partner Dr. Seth Wanye, MD, and his ophthalmic staff at Vistar Eye Centre, and in villages throughout the Ashanti and Northern Regions of Ghana. Vistar Eye Centre is a new eye clinic opening in September 2010 that is based in Kumasi, which is located in southern central Ghana’s Ashanti region. Located approximately three hours from the Northern Region, Dr. Wanye and his ophthalmic staff focus on bringing eye care to patients living in extreme poverty in the Ashanti region as well as in the northern, most impoverished region of Ghana.
Village Outreaches
Unite For Sight’s Global Impact Fellows and the local ophthalmic nurse are transported by van to the villages in the morning, and then return to Kumasi in the late afternoon or evening. In the remote rural villages located 1-7 hours from Kumasi, the local ophthalmic nurse provides exams, diagnosis, treatment, and eyeglasses in remote rural villages located 1-7 hours from Kumasi. The Global Impact Fellows assist the local staff in the village outreaches. Patients requiring surgery or advanced ophthalmic care are transported to the eye clinic in Kumasi, where Dr. Wanye provides ophthalmic care. All patients screened in Unite For Sight's programs receive free surgery funded by Unite For Sight so that no patient remains blind due to lack of funds.
In the village outreach programs, volunteers assist the ophthalmic staff in all aspects of the eye care programs. They take patient history, test visual acuity, assist the ophthalmic nurses, distribute medication and eyeglasses prescribed by the ophthalmic nurse, provide eye health education in the villages and schools, and help with the coordination of patient surgeries.
Educational Opportunities
Volunteers have an opportunity to observe cataract and pterygium surgeries provided at the eye clinic. Those interested in ophthalmology and optometry also have opportunities to learn ophthalmic and optometric skills from the ophthalmic nurses and from Dr. Wanye.
Patients See Results
Unite For Sight has worked with Dr. Wanye since 2005 to build his local capacity to provide eye care for patients living in extreme poverty in Northern Ghana. During 2007, Unite For Sight coordinated and funded 1,594 sight-restoring surgeries provided by Dr. Wanye in Tamale. In 2008, Dr. Wanye provided 1,887 surgeries that were sponsored by Unite For Sight. In 2009, Dr. Wanye provided 2,661 surgeries sponsored by Unite For Sight. Dr. Wanye is establishing a new eye clinic in Kumasi which focuses on an expanded reach to eliminate preventable blindness throughout the Northern and Ashanti Regions of Ghana.
Who Can Volunteer
This program is suitable to anyone 18 years and older who has 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, ophthalmology residents, ophthalmologists, filmmakers, photographers, and others.
What Volunteers Do
Standard Volunteers
Volunteers assist the ophthalmic nurses in all aspects of the eye care programs. They take patient history, test visual acuity, assist the eye nurse, distribute medication and eyeglasses prescribed by the eye nurse, provide eye health education in the villages and schools, and help with the coordination of patient surgeries. Volunteers also have an opportunity to observe the surgeries provided by Dr. Wanye at the eye clinic.
Eye Care Professional Volunteers
Emirates Airline Foundation has generously donated free airline tickets for optometrists and ophthalmologists to work with Unite For Sight's partner eye clinics in Ghana. Ophthalmologists participating for at least 1 week, and optometrists participating for at least 4 weeks, are eligible for the donated airline tickets. The donated airline tickets are limited and available on a first come, first serve basis to accepted applicants.
Ophthalmologist volunteers work daily with Dr. Wanye to provide ophthalmic care and perform surgeries. Ophthalmologists also provide skills transfer. Optometrists work with Dr. Wanye's ophthalmic nurses to provide optometric care in rural villages.
Filmmaker and Photography Volunteers
Unite For Sight filmmaker and photographer volunteers document the voices of patients who receive sight-restoring eye care through Unite For Sight programs. The videos and photos promote awareness and information about global eye care needs and also demonstrate the commitment and dedication of Unite For Sight's local partner eye doctors who work tirelessly to provide eye care to those living in extreme poverty. The opportunity allows students, filmmakers, and photographers an opportunity to learn about development issues while making a significant impact.
Living and Lodging
Volunteers lodge in a rented house in Kumasi that is within walking distance from the eye clinic. Lodging is $15 per day, and food costs no more than $10 per day.
Depending on flight arrival and departure schedules, volunteers may lodge for 1-2 days in Accra at the Telecentre Bed and Breakfast, which costs $20/day for double occupancy. Food expenses in Accra are approximately $10/day.
Volunteers are picked up from the airport in Accra and brought by car to Kumasi. The gas for the 4-5 hour ride costs approximately $30-$50 per volunteer.
Special Section For Students: Academic Credit, Clinical Rotations, and Research
This program is suitable for undergraduate and public health students interested in pursuing an internship for academic credit, as well as for medical and optometry students interested in pursuing a clinical rotation for academic credit. You should consult your academic institution regarding how you can arrange this type of course credit. Unite For Sight will complete student performance evaluations required by a university so that a student can receive academic credit. We can also provide a letter for the university that confirms a student's planned participation in the Unite For Sight program, as well as details regarding the student's pre-departure online global health coursework and global health field participation. Please read the Academic Credit section of the Unite For Sight website.
This program is also appropriate for undergraduate students, medical students, optometry students, and public health students who would like to pursue a community-based field research project, which requires that the student have a faculty mentor at their home institution as well as IRB approval. Those interested in research should read the Global Impact Lab and Entrepreneurial Volunteering sections of the Unite For Sight website.
Video Presentations, Films, and Narratives About Unite For Sight's Program in Tamale
Yale student Vanessa Hux's narrative about her volunteer experience in Tamale.
Stanford student Joyce Ho's Tamale experience diary.
"The View From Ghana:" Columbia Student's Narrative About Volunteering in Tamale
9 Narratives By Tamale Alumni Volunteers
Unite For Sight in Ghana, including 10 minutes about Unite For Sight's work with Dr. Wanye
Dr. Wanye discusses couching, a public health problem in Northern Ghana. This video shows Dr. Wanye providing Small Incision Cataract Surgery (SICS) to restore the sight of a patient.
Unite For Sight's outreach programs with Ghanaian ophthalmologist Dr. Wanye bring eye care to patients living in extreme poverty.
Unite For Sight Film About Ghana Program
Vanessa Hux Discusses Volunteering in Tamale
Shakira Sanchez-Collins Speaks About Volunteering in Tamale
Ophthalmologist Aron Rose, MD, Speaks About Volunteering in Tamale
Dr. Wanye Discusses Eye Care in Tamale
Nicholas Greene's Conference Presentation About Volunteering in Tamale
Dr. Wanye's Conference Presentation About Unite For Sight in Tamale
Unite For Sight Buduburam Refugee Camp Film
Patients Speak About Their Experiences With Restored Sight
Patient Speaks About His Newly Restored Sight