HISTORY OF QUANTUM EYE CLINIC
Quantum Eye Clinic Foundation, under the umbrella of the parent company, Quantum Total Wellness Centre (QTWC) was incorporated on 21 October 2014 and operated as a commercial concern from June 2015 until 18 April 2018. QWTC was formed by Dr. Kofi Ghartey, a retired Canadian-trained optician and Mr. Samuel Baidoo, a retired United Nations Peacekeeping field administrator. With Dr. Ghartey as the Managing Director and Mr. Samuel Baidoo as the General Manager, Mr. Cyril Terence Baidoo then served as the Secretary, a position which is now occupied by Mr. Eric Oduro, who is also the Accountant, since 28 March, 2017. With a view to aligning its operational position to be in tune with its original intention of giving wide service to the deprived and under-served, Quantum Eye Clinic converted from a limited liability concern to a non-governmental organization on 18 April 2018. Its founding directors are Mr. Samuel Baidoo, General Manager and President of the Board; Dr. Kofi Ghartey, Vice President of the Board; and Mr. Eric Oduro, Accountant and Treasurer/Secretary of the Board.
Quantum Eye Clinic operates from a three-storey building, House. No. A525/19, at Sharp Curve, Wesley Grammar Junction, opposite Nick Petroleum filling station, Dansoman. The ground floor comprises an OPD, pharmacy, two consulting rooms, treatment room and an optical showroom. The first floor comprises a waiting room, the refraction unit, surgical unit, research unit, an autoclave unit and the office of the Director of Eye Services. The second floor comprises an originally operated medical laboratory (now relocated to a prefabricated structure on the compound at ground level), with an adjoining room and an office for the head of the laboratory; which can be used for any other medical service such as a dental unit. It also includes a stock inventory and storage unit. The third and last floor houses the administration, comprising offices for the Managing Director, General Manager, Accountant, Operations Officer, and other administrative staff; it also includes a VIP room, conference room, a non-denominational prayer room and a staff kitchen. Laboratory (Phlebotomy) services are provided from a prefabricated structure in the compound. At the rear of the compound, in a converted multi-car port, is a potential optical laboratory for the fabrication and finishing of lenses, as the Clinic did import and operate an optical laboratory from inception but had to fold on account of operational and financial problems; and storage space for outreach equipment. Future operations should consider whether it would be viable to return to that business or not.
It should be mentioned that QTWC also operates separate facility for natural medicine (Quantum Natural Medical Centre) in the middle of the compound which utilizes a non-storied structure; it also comprises a massage and detoxification unit at the rear of the ground floor of the main building and a drug manufacturing unit at the rear of the building. The Quantum Board has determined that the Natural Medical Clinic is responsible for 20% share of operational costs like water, electricity, rental contract and related costs.
REGISTRATION
Quantum Eye Clinic is registered with the HIFRA (formerly the Private Hospitals and Maternity Homes Board of the Ministry of Health) since July 2016.
PROFILE OF THE CATCHMENT/DEMOGRAPHIC AREA
Quantum Eye Clinic operates from the outskirts and bordering areas of Dansoman and Mataheko in Accra. The area is a polyglot of various social strata of society, from lower to upper middle class. It is the epicenter of the Dansoman, Mataheko, Darkuman, Odorkor, Sakaman, Mallam, Gbawe, Mamprobi, Abossey-Okai, Korle Bu, Nyamekye, Abeka areas. However, the clinic operates in the wider catchment area that includes all the Ablekuma electoral areas, Kasoa and beyond. The wider catchment area with a population of over 1 million inhabitants also has similar characteristics of a polyglot social community, exhibiting vestiges of intermingled planned and unplanned residential urban communities, with a variety of literacy and occupational demographies, ranging from the uneducated or poorly educated (with high joblessness or low income/under-employed) to pockets of affluence.
The demographical dispersion in the total catchment area, although there is no readily available specific study or data on it, is roughly similar to the national average for similar size areas in the capital and other regional capitals in Ghana.
From engagement with the wider communities and outreach efforts, although no specific statistical records exist for the served area, the identified needs are: education on all varieties of eye conditions, including glaucoma; encouragement to undertake periodic eye examination; and on-going periodic free screening.
SOURCES OF INCOME
The main source of income is from NHIS clients and corporate clients operating under the nine private health insurance institutions with which we have signed agreements (Nationwide, Metropolitan, Apex, Premier, Acacia, Cosmopolitan, Universal, Vitality, Liberty).
SOURCES OF SUPPLY
Laboratory supplies are sourced mainly from Greenland. Medications are sourced from established pharmacies like Entod, Renie, Ernest Chemists, All Pharma. Most of the equipment were sourced from Canada. Frames have been sourced from Lagos, Nigeria and Dubai. Most of the lenses have been sourced from Lagos, Nigeria. We are however looking to source most of our supplies from donors, both locally and internationally.
Quantum Eye Clinic does not operate on an in-patient basis and so there are no beds in the hospital.
The list of staff are as follows:
Managing Director
General Manager
Accountant
Operations Officer
Administrative Assistant
Communications Technician
Logistics and Inventory Officer
Logistics Assistant
Laboratory Technician
Director of Eye Services
Ophthalmologist
Matron
Optometrist
Optician
Five Nurses
Pharmacy Assistant
Showroom Sales Girl
Two Janitors
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