‘Don’t use breast milk as eye drop’

An Ophthalmic Nurse at the Abesim Health Centre, near Sunyani, Mr Joseph Ankomah, has warned lactating mothers against the use of breast milk and other concoctions for the treatment of eye problems affecting their babies as well as adults.

He stated that the use of breast milk and herbs for the treatment of eye infections was very dangerous because of the acidity of breast milk and toxicity of herbs.

“The eye is very delicate and the use of such methods as treatment for eye infections could lead to cornea cancer in future,” he warned.

Mr Ankomah was speaking at a free health screening and education programme organised by ASA Savings and Loans Company at Abesim for its customers and the general public.

More than 400 people benefited from the exercise during which some of the beneficiaries who were diagnosed of various minor ailments were supplied with free medication while others were referred to hospitals for further treatment.

Cataract

On cataract, Mr Ankomah explained that the best treatment was through surgery and advised those who had been diagnosed against resorting to other methods for treatment.

He stated that even though most people feared the removal of cataracts through surgery, it was in their own interest to seek for early surgery in order to avoid future complications.

“Cataract is preventable, the earlier the patient seeks for solution, the better, since any delay can cause blindness,” he stated.

Screening and treatment

A physician assistant at the Abesim Health Clinic, Ms Belinda Annan-Mettle, called for regular check-up to ensure the early detection of diseases to prevent complications.

“Please don’t wait till you are sick before seeking for help,” she advised, and called for proper nutrition to ensure good health for both children and adults.

ASA Savings and Loans

For his part, the Brong Ahafo Regional Manager of ASA Savings and Loans Limited, Mr Mohammed Mainul Islam Mallick, said the company had 108 business offices across six regions in the country currently serving more than 153,500 clients.

He explained that the company had rolled out special investment and loan products targeted at small and medium enterprises, high net worth individuals, societies, churches, schools and corporate bodies among others.

“ASA Savings is a proud member of the Ghana Club 100 and ranked 20th company in Ghana in 2016,” he said.

Mr Mainul explained that the company needed healthy clients to do business with, hence its decision to organise such free health screening exercises from time to time.

He advised customers of the company to patronise the free health screening exercises organised occasionally to enable them to detect their health problems early for treatment.

Writer’s email: [email protected]