Tamale, Ghana Program Details

Program Overview

Unite For Sight volunteers work with Dr. Seth Wanye, MD, and his ophthalmic staff at the Eye Clinic of Tamale Teaching Hospital and in surrounding villages. The Unite For Sight volunteers, ophthalmic nurses, and optometrists, screen for eye disease and operable cataracts in remote rural villages that are located 1-3 hours from Tamale. The volunteers and others on the outreach team are transported by van to the villages in the morning, and then return to Tamale in the late afternoon. Patients in the villages receive an exam, diagnosis, eyeglasses, medication, and treatment. Those requiring advanced care and surgery are transported from the villages to Eye Clinic of Tamale Teaching Hospital for care and sight-restoring surgery by Dr. Wanye. 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 eye nurses and optometrists with the examination, distribute medication and eyeglasses prescribed by the optometrists, provide eye health education in the villages and schools, and help with the coordination of patient surgeries.

When at the the eye clinic, volunteers have an opportunity to assist Dr. Wanye and the ophthalmic nurses and optometrists in the clinic and in the operating theater.

Dr. Wanye is the regional ophthalmologist, and he takes responsibility for all eye care services in the region for 2 million people. Prior to Unite For Sight's partnership with Eye Clinic of Tamale Teaching Hospital, Dr. Wanye often went months without providing a single cataract surgery because the community members could not afford the cost of surgery. Unite For Sight volunteers now work with him to assist with screening outreach programs, and Unite For Sight funds the cataract surgeries for the patients so that no one will remain blind due to lack of funds. During 2007, Unite For Sight coordinated and funded 1,594 sight-restoring surgeries in Tamale. Additionally, more than 10,000 eyeglasses were prescribed by the eye clinic's staff. All of these eyeglasses were collected by Unite For Sight volunteers.

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 with the examination, 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. The previously blind patients leave Eye Clinic of Tamale Teaching Hospital after surgery with restored sight.
Eye Care Professional Volunteers
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 Tamale. Combined, lodging and food expenses are approximately $15-$20 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 $15/day for double occupancy, or $25/day for single occupancy. Food expenses in Accra are approximately $10/day.

Volunteers are picked up from the airport in Accra and brought by car to Tamale. The gas for the 8-10 hour ride costs approximately $60-$80 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 necessary paperwork required of your university so that you can receive academic credit. 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 Entrepreneurial Volunteering section of the Unite For Sight website.