Main Implementing Partners

The Presbyterian Health Service (PHS)

The HODVIC Programme is hosted by the Presbyterian Health Service (PHS), which is part of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG), which was established more than 100 years ago. PHS falls under the Department of Development and Social Services (DDS). This department is involved in agriculture, health, relief services and development, and water supply. The PCG and its various departments has a good reputation in the country as an agent in development, with sound financial and administrative procedures in place.

The PCG has become a major player in health service delivery in the country. It is currently running a total of fifty-seven (57) health institutions and programmes. The breakdown is as follows:

Four (4) District Hospitals
One (1) Primary Hospital
One (1) Regional Eye Care Centre(Hospital)
Six (6) Primary Health Care (PHC) Outreach Programmes
Twenty-One(21) Health Centres
Sixteen (16) Clinics
Three (3) Nursing and Midwifery Training Colleges
One (1) Midwifery Training College
One (1) Health Technical ( Maintenance ) Unit
Two (2) Community Based Rehabilitation Centres
Presbyterian Health Innovation Project

These institutions provide a substantial portion of health services in the rural areas with a workforce of 3,650 and total hospital beds of 1,515. Curative, preventive and promotive services are provided to clients by the facilities in their respective catchment areas. The health care interventions cover areas such as antenatal care, postnatal care, family planning, nutrition, growth monitoring of children between 0-5 years, immunization, health Education, environmental sanitation, HIV/AIDS control, prevention, home-based care and counselling and clinical care at the health centres. Currently PCG is the 3^rd largest single provider of health services in Ghana.

Role and responsibility in phase II

During Phase II, the PHS will host the HODVIC programme in the same way as it did in Phase I. It will do so on conditions spelled out in a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Royal Dutch Visio. PHS will be responsible for coordinating, managing and implementation of the programme in Ghana in accordance with this proposal, approved budgets and annual plans.

National Eye Care Unit (NECU)/Ghana Health Service (GHS)

The Ghana Health Service (GHS) is the largest public sector agency under the Ministry of Health and is responsible for ensuring that every Ghanaian has access to health care services. The GHS is mandated through its directorates and health facilities to provide preventive, promotive, rehabilitative and curative health services at all levels, to ensure continuous contact and a seamless referral system that enables continuity of health services to every person. In 2016 the GHS achieved a doctor population ratio of 1:8,300 and Midwife/WIFA equity ratio of 2.3

Provision of public eye health services is overseen by Ghana Health Service, as for other health services. The National Eye Care Unit sits within GHS’s Institutional Care Directorate (ICD), and provides a strategic role for the delivery of eye care services in Ghana.

The Ghana Eye Health Sector Pyramid looks as follows, with screening and assessment services provided at national, regional, and district level:

Figure 1: Ghana Eye Health Sector Pyramid

Role and responsibility in phase II

The National Eye Care Unit will screen and assess CwVI through the cadre of optometrists and ophthalmic Nurses. The Community Nurses will also conduct early identification at the antenatal clinics and support parents of CwVI through home visits during their outreach services. Capacity will be strengthened through refresher training of optometrists and nurses. NECU will collaborate with HODVIC to join and participate in National and International celebrations on issues regarding blindness and visual impairment such as World Sight Day among others. NECU among other things, will ensure the ensures the implementation and quality assurance of eye clinical screening, assessment and care in line with the National protocols and guidelines.

Special Education Division(SpED)/Ghana Education Service (GES)

The Ghana Education Service (GES) has been mandated by the government of Ghana to implement pre-tertiary educational policies of the government to ensure that all Ghanaian children of school age, irrespective of tribe, gender, disability, religious and political affiliations, are provided with formal education and training.

The GES has 10 Divisions, one of which is the Special Education Division with the mandate to work towards the creation of equal opportunities for learners and young people with disabilities and Special Educational Needs at the pre-tertiary level through the efficient management of resources, provision of suitable and sustainable support structures in an inclusive school environment.

The GES is implementing Inclusive Education in 20 Districts through the SpED with support from UNICEF. The division oversees two main schools for the blind and four units, and two deafblind centers. It also has 14 schools for the deaf and 12 schools for the Intellectually Disabled. In addition, there are 23 units for the Intellectually Disabled located within regular schools across the country.

Role and responsibility in phase II

Within the partnership the SpED will be is responsible for accessible and affordable education through provision of VI equipment, devices and ensuring right and timely placement of children in schools. They are responsible for screening and referral of suspected cases to eye health facilities for further investigations. The trained teachers are also expected to cascade the skills to other teachers in the schools they are working in.

The Department of Children (DoC)

The Department of Children (DoC) under the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP) is responsible for ensuring the promotion and protection of children’s rights and coordinating related programmes.

The functions of the department are to:

Implement policies, programmes, projects and plans of the sector Ministry and coordinate child-related programmes across sectors.
Monitor and evaluate the processes and impacts of plans and programmes on children.
Collaborate and network with MDAs, MMDAs, NGOs and CBOs to improve and enhance the socio-economic status and circumstances of children.
Undertake research towards improving the well-being of children.
Provide referral and on the spot counselling services.
Implement Ghana’s International conventions, treaties and protocols in relation to children’s development.

The Department implements programmes and projects in the area of advocacy and sensitization, capacity building and research into children’s issues; fostering networking among stakeholders; inputting into the formulation and coordination of child related policies and programmes.

The Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) Secretariat /Unit of the Department is coordinating the ECCD Policy implementation and ECCD programmes. The unit is also responsible for promoting the survival, development and protection of children (0-8 years) through advocacy, sensitisation and capacity building on ECCD issues and collaboration among relevant stakeholders.

The Department is a key partner of the Holistic Development Programme for Visually Impaired Children (0-6 years) and through the ECCD Unit played a significant role during the first phase of the programme.

The DoC operates at district level through the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development and field officers (social workers) from the Department of Social Welfare.

Role and responsibility in phase II

The Department of Children works through the Department of Social Welfare and Community Development in the Districts to enhance quality of life of CwVI through the promotion of sustainable livelihoods strategies by mobilizing CwVI, families and communities for identification and implementation of eye health initiatives at family and community levels. The Ministry’s local social workers will ensure continuity of support to CwVI by carrying out household, family and community outreach, awareness and empowerment activities in collaboration. They will continue to lead in the training of the social workers and a possible research in to condition of CwVI in the day care centres. They will continue with community awareness and support the parent groups.

Ghana Blind Union

The Ghana Blind Union (GBU) is an amalgamation of the Ghana Society of the Blind (GSB) established in 1951, and the Ghana Association of the Blind (GAB) established in 1963. The amalgamation took place in 2010 because of the realization of the two organizations serve the same clients and same purpose and provide duplication of service.

GBU is a membership- based organization and operational in all the six regions of Ghana with branches in 172 districts and still expanding. Its mission statement is ‘to advocate the total inclusion of blind and partially sighted persons in society through awareness raising, services in education, training and rehabilitation’. Its current registered membership stands at 15,970. 7,865 are females, whilst 8,105 are male.

GBU is recognized both nationally and internationally as the voice of all blind and partially sighted persons. It reaches out to all blind and low vision persons whether registered or nonregistered in schools or out of school situation. GBU in its interventions also reach out to deafblind person in school and out of school situation. The GBU also represent the Ghana federation for the Disabled (GFD) in the HODVIC Programme. GFD is the umbrella body of all disability organisations in the country.

Role and responsibility in phase II

GBU will ensure outreach activities, skills transfer and mentorship to beneficiaries. They will also ensure community involvement. GBU will cooperate with the HODVIC programme on issues of Lobby and advocacy and capacity building to beneficiaries and the public.

Strategic Partners

Royal Dutch Visio

Royal Dutch Visio is the centre of expertise for blind and partially sighted people of all ages, including those with additional disabilities. Visio enables visually impaired people to live, learn and work independently and provides its expertise in this area. It also offers living and day care facilities for her clients if needed.

The expertise Visio develops and shares contains early intervention, low vision, itinerant teaching, computer skills training, employment, social skills, orientation and mobility, psychosocial support, special education, leisure training, daily living skills, day care and accessibility.

Roles and responsibilities

Visio will provide financial, technical and managerial support to implement the programme and to build and strengthen institutional capacity of partners for effective implementation of the programme.

Presbyterian Health Service (PHS)

The HODVIC Programme is hosted by the Presbyterian Health Service (PHS), which is part of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG), which was established more than 100 years ago. PHS falls under the Department of Development and Social Services (DSS). This department is involved in agriculture, health, relief services and development, and water supply. The PCG and its various departments has a good reputation in the country as an agent in development, with sound financial and administrative procedures in place.

Roles and responsibilities

National Eye Care Unit

Roles and responsibilities

Special Education Division (SpED)

Role and responsibility in phase II

The Department of Children (DoC)

Role and responsibilities in phase II

Ghana Blind Union

Role and responsibility in phase II

University of Education, Winneba

The University of Education, Winneba (UEW) was established in September, 1992 as a University College under PNDC Law 322. On 14th May, 2004 the University of Education Act, Act 672 was enacted to upgrade the status of the University College of Education of Winneba to the status of a full University.

Role in phase II

The two department who collaborate with the HODVIC Programme are the Special Education Department for the Blind and the Early Childhood Department.

These two departments will play collaborative roles in research and surveys for the programme. They will offer support to the programme in the acquisition of teaching learning materials for CwVI. They will share with stakeholder and partners modern and innovative ways of learning and teaching CwVI

Ghana National Education Campaign Coalition (GNECC)

GNECC is a membership-based network with over 200 members including child rights organizations, disability organizations, international non-governmental organizations, teacher unions, retired educationists, faith-based organizations and youth organizations. Their mission is to influence policy towards providing equal educational opportunities for all children irrespective of their economic, social, religious, geographical background or disability.

Role in Phase II

The GNECC will be a key CSO during phase II. They are going to be involved in the training of Parent Support groups and act as ambassadors of the programme at both the national and district levels. Moreover, GNECC will be instrumental in the development of lobby strategies and lobby activities for improved implementation of legislation and policy and compliance with international agreements.

Blind Sparks Ghana

Blind Sparks is a network of change working in the education of visually impaired and blind children between the ages of 4 – 18 years to have access to equal and equitable education. It is based in Hohoe in the Volta region. They scout for visually impaired and blind children within and outside the Volta region for assessment and educational placement.

Role in phase II

Blind sparks will collaborate with the HODVIC Programme in the capacity building of classroom assistants, ensure the proper referral and placement of children after screening and assessment in their catchment area.

Other Stakeholders

Parents, teachers, health workers, community and opinion leaders, actors in blindness and visual impaired issues are also recognised as stakeholders. These also have their roles and responsibilities to play for the success of the programme.

Main Implementing Partners

Strategic Partners

Other Stakeholders

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