Improving eye care in Ethiopia

When we started working in Ethiopia in 1998, the population was around 65 million. More than two decades later, it has nearly doubled to 123 million.

The eye care situation in Ethiopia is one of the worst in the world according to the National Survey on Blindness, Low Vision, and Trachoma. It shows 1.6% of people in Ethiopia live with blindness, and 3.7% with low vision.

Cataract (50%), trachoma (11%), corneal opacities (8%), refractive error (8%), and glaucoma (5%) were reported as the leading causes of blindness. Likewise, cataract (42%), and refractive error (33.%) were reported as leading causes of low vision. Childhood blindness is estimated to have a prevalence of 0.1%.

These figures, from the National Survey, translate into a staggering 5.4 million people living with blindness and vision loss.

When Orbis began working in Ethiopia in 1998, there were only 54 ophthalmologists. There are now 200 ophthalmologists, saving sight across the country.

Thanks to our supporters, and the hard work and dedication of our local staff and program partners, in the past 26 years we played a leading role in:

• Delivering 106 million doses of the trachoma-fighting-antibiotic, azithromycin, in the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and People's Region (SNNPR)
• Achieving the elimination threshold for trachoma in 50 districts across the SNNPR, as of 2023
• Conducting more than 236,000 trachomatous trichiasis surgeries
• Increasing cataract surgeries from 5,000 in 1995 to 72,000 by 2017 (by providing training and support, and helping introduce new techniques that are now adopted universally across the country)
• Helping establish 515 optometrists
• Constructed 131 latrine blocks and installed 36 water points
• Produced more than 120 major research papers, 30 of which were published in peer-reviewed journals
• Hosted five Flying Eye Hospital visits between 2003 and 2018
• Established the Eye Bank of Ethiopia, the only eye bank in sub-Saharan Africa other than in South Africa

Orbis Ethiopia also played a leading role in developing:

• 267 primary eye care units (staffed with 336 integrated eye care workers)
• 10 secondary-level eye hospitals
• Three tertiary-level eye hospitals
• Five wet labs
• Six optical workshops
• Ethiopia's first child-centered eye care service at Menelik II Hospital
• Two pediatric centers in Hawassa and Gondor

With your continued support, we can implement a model for comprehensive rural eye care that addresses critical gaps through capacity building, healthcare technology, and advocacy. We will train more community healthcare workers in all aspects of eye care, from awareness of services to identification, diagnosis, referral, and treatment.

We will look to eliminate blinding trachoma in Ethiopia by implementing the World Health Organization’s SAFE strategy (Surgery to correct trichiasis, Antibiotics to treat infection, and Facial cleanliness and Environmental improvements to limit transmission of infection). We will continue to help reduce the risk of blinding trachoma by training nurses to perform trichiasis surgeries at primary healthcare units, and build awareness by teaching community health workers, teachers, local women’s group leaders, and community leaders about eye health.

We are also committed to spearheading eye health research for policy and practice.

None of this would be possible without the incredible support and collaboration from our partners, donors, and supporters:

• We are thankful to the Ethiopian Federal Ministry of Health, for the honor of working with them to build a more resilient eye health service.

• The Ophthalmological Society of Ethiopia who initially invited us into Ethiopia and have partnered with us ever since.
  
• Through our trachoma elimination work we partner with: International Trachoma Initiative (ITI), Sightsavers, Vision Aid Oversees, Himalayan Cataract Project (HCP), WaterAid Ethiopia, the Carter Centre, EFHF, World Vision Ethiopia, the BBC World Service Trust, CBM, LIGHT FOR THE WORLD, AMREF, World Vision, NALA foundation, Synergy Habesha, Mekaneyesus Church, Pfizer, and others to implement the SAFE strategy.

• Academic partners such as the Department of Ophthalmology at Addis Ababa University, Gondar University , Hawassa University, Jimma University, Saint Paul Millennium College, Ethiopian Cataract Association, Ethiopian Optometry Association, Ophthalmological Society of Ethiopia, Ethiopian National Association for the Blind, UNC and the South Carolina University who are helping us develop curricula to train the eye health professionals of the future.

• Additionally, the Ethiopian government’s regional health and education bureaus and the Ethiopian Science and Technology Agency.

• We are grateful to our international funders at USAID, DFID/UKAID, Irish Aid, Orbis Ireland, Orbis UK, Orbis Hong Kong, AIG, Clothworkers Nood Dubai, Izumi Foundation, Alcon, L’Occitane, FedEx, as well as the thousands of individual donors that make our work possible.

• Local sponsors: Ethiopian Airlines, Ethiopian Airport Enterprise, Civil aviation, FMHACA, PFSA, ChSA

• Over 100 volunteer doctors, nurses and biomedical engineers that have given their time and expertise to train and mentor the Ethiopian eye health community.

There is a critical need for more qualified ophthalmologists in Ethiopia. Currently, there are only six academic institutions offering 25-30 residents in ophthalmology training each year - this is simply not enough to meet the needs of the population.

Orbis needs further support to train the next generation of eye health specialists. By investing in human resources and capacity building, trachoma elimination, rural eye care, ophthalmic training, and technology, we know we can help improve the lives of millions of people in Ethiopia.