Ghana's Hidden Hero
Sightsavers advisor shortlisted for prestigious humanitarian prize
Agatha Aboe, a Sightsavers Global Trachoma Advisor, has been shortlisted for a coveted humanitarian honor at The Bond International Development Awards. Aboe, from Accra, Ghana, was nominated for her work implementing house-to-house searches in the northern and upper west regions of the country to find people with trachomatous trichiasis – the most severe stage of the disease.
Her idea helped Ghana become the first sub-Saharan African country to eliminate trachoma in June 2018. Ghana’s Ministry of Health awarded Aboe a Citation of Honor, stating, “The story of the elimination of trachoma in Ghana cannot be complete without the mention of her name. She stood as a strong pillar and saw the program through from beginning to end.”
Aboe’s response? “Blinding trachoma has plagued humanity for thousands of years, but we are now on the cusp of ending it. It is an honor to have spent a large part of my career working to help achieve this mission.”
Agatha Aboe is pictured on the left.
I’ve always loved telling stories. So much so, I decided to make a job of it. I finished a Masters in Magazine Journalism and spent three years working as a creative copywriter before itchy feet sent me (back)packing. It took seven months and 13 countries, but I’m now happily settled on The Ophthalmologist, where I’m busy getting stuck into all things eyeballs.
