The Keta Municipal Hospital is seeking renewed support from India to modernise and re-equip the Narasimha Rao Eye Clinic as part of efforts to improve specialist healthcare delivery in the municipality.
The initiative follows a courtesy visit by the Member of Parliament for Keta, Mr Kwame Gakpey, and a delegation from the hospital to the Indian High Commission in Accra, where they engaged the Indian High Commissioner, Mr Surinder Bhagat.
The engagement sought to revive a longstanding partnership between India and the Keta Municipal Hospital, which dates back more than three decades.
Mr Gakpey told the Ghana News Agency that the Narasimha Rao Eye Clinic was established at the hospital in the 1990s with support from India, including specialist eye services and training opportunities for hospital staff.
He said the collaboration, however, had been inactive for nearly 20 years, creating the need for renewed engagement to restore the clinic to its former capacity.
As part of the renewed partnership, the hospital has submitted a project proposal to the Indian High Commission seeking assistance to renovate, modernise and equip the eye clinic.
The proposal was formally presented to the High Commissioner by the Medical Superintendent of the hospital.
Mr Gakpey said the request was particularly significant as the Keta Municipal Hospital prepared to celebrate its centenary anniversary in October.
He said the delegation had also informed the High Commissioner about the anniversary and would formally invite the Indian High Commission once the date for the celebration was confirmed.
Wider areas of cooperation
Beyond healthcare, Mr Gakpey appealed for Indian technical and development assistance in other areas, including Information and Communication Technology (ICT), agriculture and tourism.
He said such cooperation could provide new opportunities for residents of the Keta Municipality while contributing to the area’s socio-economic development.
The MP expressed appreciation to the Indian High Commissioner for receiving the delegation and said the engagement had opened the way for a more sustainable partnership.
He said archival records presented by the High Commission confirmed more than 30 years of collaboration between India and the Keta Municipal Hospital.
According to Mr Gakpey, Mr Bhagat expressed willingness to revive the relationship and indicated that the proposal for the eye clinic would be reviewed.
He said the High Commissioner was also prepared to engage Indian healthcare institutions, corporations and pharmaceutical companies, including Apollo Hospitals, to explore possible support for the renovation and re-equipping of the facility.
Scholarships and staff exchanges
Mr Gakpey said the Indian High Commission had further expressed readiness to facilitate scholarship opportunities for constituents and explore fellowship and staff exchange programmes between the Keta Municipal Hospital and institutions in India.
He said these opportunities could strengthen the capacity of health professionals at the hospital through exposure to specialised training and international best practices.
The High Commissioner also indicated plans to identify additional areas of cooperation and undertake an official visit to the Keta Municipality after presenting his credentials to the President of Ghana.
Mr Gakpey said the proposed visit would provide an opportunity to deepen discussions on the various areas of collaboration.
He said: “There is a need for a sustainable partnership going forward, and we need to look at the various key areas for renewed collaboration for better improvement and development.”
The hospital delegation, led by Dr Emmanuel Anim, expressed appreciation to the Indian High Commissioner for the reception and his willingness to explore ways of rebuilding the longstanding relationship.
The delegation said renewed cooperation could significantly enhance healthcare delivery and support broader development initiatives in the Keta Municipality.
