The Foundation has begun work to restore the sight of people living with avoidable blindness in the northern regions of Ethiopia.

Ethiopia is a country with more than 80 million inhabitants. Approximately 1.26 million Ethiopians are blind but there are only 103 ophthalmologists in the country, centred mostly near the country’s capital, Addis Ababa. Cataract accounts for almost 50 per cent of blindness.

The Foundation’s Medical Director, Dr Richard Le Mesurier, visited the North Gondar Zone of the Amhara Region, over 400km north of the capital. At a district hospital in Debark, he saw firsthand the lack of eye services for some of the poorest people in the country. The hospital does not have an ophthalmic department.

“The Foundation wants to provide an effective eye service in the northern Amhara region so that the people can have access to high quality eye care services and give the people who are blind from cataract the opportunity to regain their sight,” says Ethiopian Program Coordinator, Cath Elderton.
In partnership with the Austrian international development organisation, Light for the World, The Foundation has developed the Simien Mountains Eye-Care Project (SMEP). Its first step involves support for establishing, equipping and staffing an ophthalmic unit within Debark Hospital.

The project is being conducted in cooperation with the Debark Hospital and the Regional Health Bureau. Friedbert Ottacher, Ethiopia Program Coordinator for Light for the World, sees the partnership with The Foundation as a natural collaboration.

“The Fred Hollows Foundation is an organisation with a similar vision and approach to programme work like Light For The World, so it really made sense to cooperate. This also helps to avoid duplication of structures – especially in light of the difficulties we faced until we could become operational in Ethiopia,” Ottacher says.

The Foundation will initially provide funding to equip the eye unit at the hospital with microscopes and slit lamps. It will also support the hospital’s administration and organise outreach campaigns to inform the community about the new service. Medical teams will visit villages in remote areas to screen patients, and set up the referral process for surgery with the  hospital in Debark. Whenever necessary, patients will also be transferred to the hospital in Gondar to receive any additional care.

“I am very positive that the cooperation will work out for both sides and that our effort in combining forces and resources will significantly improve the situation of blind and visually impaired people in Ethiopia,” Ottacher says.

“The Foundation is excited to be in partnership with Light for the World as we commence work in Ethiopia”, says Cath Elderton.

“We see the Simien Mountains Eye-Care Project as the beginning of The Foundation’s involvement in Ethiopia, and look forward, over time, to increasing our support for blindness prevention activities throughout the country.