ACCRA, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) -- A charity project to extend free surgical treatment in Ghana was relaunched on Wednesday by the Chinese medical team with the support of some Chinese enterprises and charity organizations.
Under the project titled "Minimally Invasive Surgery in Ghana & Seeing the Beautiful World," the 13th batch of the Chinese medical team will continue to provide free surgical treatment for cataract patients, in addition to free laparoscopic surgeries at the China-Ghana Friendship Hospital, also known as the LEKMA Hospital in Accra, the capital of Ghana.
Chinese Ambassador to Ghana Tong Defa said during the project's relaunch that medical and health care are two of the most important parts of the China-Ghana cooperation. For that reason, China has been actively supporting the development of Ghana's health system for many years.
Tong said China has, therefore, been taking various steps to help Ghana improve access to and quality of healthcare. "China has been upgrading Ghana's healthcare infrastructure, including funding and building the China-Ghana Friendship Hospital, helping build the capacity of local ophthalmologists, and sponsoring cataract surgeries for Ghanaians for years."
The ambassador noted that over the past 15 years, China has sent 13 batches of medical teams with more than 100 highly skilled doctors from various specialties to Ghana, and part of their focus has been free cataract surgeries.
"By providing free surgeries for local cataract patients, Chinese medical teams have helped many Ghanaians restore vision and improved their quality of life," Tong added.
Hafiz Adam Taher, director of external health cooperation at the Technical Coordinating Department of Ghana's Ministry of Health, thanked Chinese doctors for bringing hope to Ghanaians through their interventions.
"This initiative represents not only the advancement of medical technology in Ghana but also the power of cooperation between nations and institutions for the greater good," Taher said.
Akua Gyimah-Asante, medical superintendent of the LEKMA Hospital, noted that minimally invasive surgery is the cornerstone of modern medicine, providing patients with safer, faster, and more efficient surgical care.
Gyimah-Asante said the initiative by the Chinese medical team has enabled patients to heal faster, reduce their risk of complications, and return to their daily activities sooner.
Since December 2022, the Chinese medical teams have conducted 94 free successful cataract surgeries and 25 free laparoscopic surgeries for Ghanaians under the charity project. ■