The Hohoe Department of Social Welfare and Community Development has sensitised leaders, parents, caregivers and other members of the Gbi Godenu community on the causes, effects and treatment of visual impairment among children.
The programme was organised in collaboration with the Department of Children under the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, with support from Visio International.
The engagement was also aimed at identifying parents and caregivers of children with visual impairment and establishing parent support groups within the community.
Mr Henry Yanpalleh, Hohoe Municipal Director of Social Welfare and Community Development, said the programme formed part of a series of community engagements conducted over the past five years to promote proper care and support for people with visual impairment.
He said people with visual impairment needed the right information to help them identify their needs, access appropriate services and become effectively integrated into society.
Mr Yanpalleh expressed concern about practices in some communities that prevented visually impaired children from fully participating in social activities and interacting with others.
He stressed that visually impaired people, particularly children, possessed talents and abilities that needed to be identified, supported and developed so they could contribute meaningfully to society.
He assured the community that the Social Welfare Department was prepared to work with communities to protect visually impaired people and provide the support needed for children to reach their full potential.
Regular eye screening encouraged
Dr Eric Kwao, an Optometrist at the Volta Regional Hospital, Hohoe, encouraged community members to have their eyes screened twice a year as part of proper eye-care practices.
He explained that visual impairment could result from several factors, including genetic conditions, and that some conditions could be addressed when medical attention was sought early.
He also warned about injuries to children’s eyes, particularly from playing with sticks, pencils and pens.
Dr Kwao further cautioned against the use of certain traditional remedies, including liquid extracts from cassava leaves, which could cause visual impairment when introduced into the eyes.
He identified age, cataracts and glaucoma among other causes of visual impairment. According to him, cataracts and glaucoma could be managed through appropriate medical treatment, including surgery and medication.
Support for visually impaired learners
Mr Eric Allotey-Pappoe, Assessment Officer at the Regional Assessment and Resource Center, commended the Social Welfare Department, the Ministry, Visio International and other stakeholders for their continued community sensitization programmes.
He said identifying children with visual difficulties early and providing the necessary assistance had contributed to improved learning outcomes.
He disclosed that five visually impaired candidates sat for the 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
He added that other visually impaired students had also received support to continue their education at the second-cycle level, describing the development as commendable.
Togbe Osei III, Chief of Gbi Godenu, urged parents to take proper care of their children and report unusual signs or difficulties with their children’s sight as soon as they noticed them.
He also encouraged learners themselves to report any problems they experienced with their vision.
The chief commended the Social Welfare Department and its partners for organising the sensitization programme.
The participants were also educated on how to communicate with and support parents and caregivers of children with visual impairment, how to teach visually impaired children everyday activities, and the role communities can play in supporting affected children and their families.
The programme was held under the theme:
“Caring for Children with Visual Impairment: Why Children Lose Their Vision and What We Can Do – Visual Stimulation, Finding Out What Your Child Can See, Teaching Everyday Activities, Among Others.