By Francis Kokutse

Accra, Sep 28 (IANS): Headquartered in Bengaluru, Dr Agarwal's Eye Hospital has over the past six years screened about 600,000 cases across 15 countries in Africa and conducted over 50,000 operations, its Managing Director, Sundaresan Rajagopalan, has said.

"The cost of eye-care at our facility is just a fraction of the cost incurred by most Africans travelling abroad to receive care," Rajagopalan, who was here to open the hospital's 16th branch, told IANS.

The first Dr Agarwal's eye clinic in Africa was opened in Mauritius in 2010 and, since then, it has opened hospitals in East and Southern Africa, with Ghana being the first in the West African region.

Pointing to the demand and supply position, he said Mozambique, with a population of 15 million, has only eight doctors, while Ghana, with a population of 25 million, has only 80 eye specialists. "Agarwal Eye Hospital is just coming to provide a needed service that is lacking in these countries."

In addition, Rajagopalan said, their presence in Africa is also to bring highly-skilled Indian specialists to associate with the local doctors and train them. "We are also sponsoring two doctors, one each from Zambia and Mozambique, for training in India."

A part of the company's corporate social responsibility, he said, Agarwal Eye Hospital is offering to operate 100 cataract cases in Ghana and a similar number in other selected African countries.

At the ceremony to inaugurate the facility here, Chairman Amar Agarwal said: "Our aim is to provide world-class eye-care services to Ghana and her neighbouring countries."

He said advanced diagnostics and eye-care treatment with optical facility ensures comprehensive treatment and saves time, money and the stress of travelling to other countries for retinal treatment, hi-tech cataract surgeries, glaucoma management and paediatric eye care.

Ghanian Health Minister Alex Segbefia said: "We are looking forward to many Indian hospitals to come with their manpower investment and their experience in running hospitals to establish their set-ups and treat our people."