International collaboration for the development of clinical guidelines in low and middle-income countries: case study on the development of a national framework and clinical guidelines for diabetic retinopathy in Ghana

Background: Diabetic retinopathy is a leading cause of blindness in many countries across the world. Ghana has seen a rise in diabetic retinopathy and is working on various strategies to prevent blindness. Clinical guidelines are seen as a promising strategy for improving quality and reducing cost of care. Little is known about the processes of collaborative guideline development in the African context. Methods: This case study discusses the process of developing clinical guidelines for diabetic retinopathy in Ghana via a collaboration with the Kenya team that had previously developed guidelines for Kenya. Results: The main lesson learnt was the ability to overcome challenges. The main output achieved was the draft national framework, guidelines and training slides on the guidelines. Conclusion: Horizontal international collaboration can aid development of clinical guidelines.