Ethiopia has a population of over 76 million, 84% of whom live in rural settings. It is one of the least developed countries in the world with a majority of its population dependent on subsistance farming.

Ethiopia has established a functioning national blindness committee through the WHO Vision 2020 Initiative. There are 80 ophthalmologists in country although 70% live in Addis Ababa.

Around 25,000 cataract operations are being conducted per annum with a cataract surgical rate per million population per year (CSR) of 360. In order to tackle the avoidable blindness, operations must be dramatically increased to almost 160,000 per annum.

Right to Sight currently has three projects in Ethiopia

1. Mekele Project – Tigray Province, Northern Ethiopia

Current Status

• The Fitsum Bekele Eye Hospital has now been completed.

• RTS will provide technical support and capacity building to develop this centre into a high volume, high quality and self sustainable eye unit.

• RTS will complete a needs assessment with the hospital in Feb 2008.

RTS Objectives

• Facilitate the training of 4 cataracts surgeons and 12 ophthalmic nurses every two years.

• Increase the capacity of the hospital to 5,000 cataract operations and 50,000 out-patient visits in 2009.

• Enable the hospital to serve as a centre of excellence for training for East Africa.

2. Grarbet Tehadiso Mahber (GTM)

Current Status

• RTS is clooaborating with a local eye clinic through GTM, located in Butjara, 150 Km south west of Addis Ababa.

• The hospital with a service area of 1 million patients is already meeting the Vision 2020 CRS goal of 2000 surgeries per year.

• RTS will support the hospital to build on its success and become a demonstration and training centre for other African projects.

• RTS will complete a needs assessment visit to the clinic in Feb 2008.

RTS Objectives

• To increase the cataract surgery at the hospital to 5,000 and the out-patients visits to 50,000 in 2009.

• Train local community workers in cataract identification and awareness programmes.

• To establish the hospital as a training centre.

3. Gondar University Eye Hospital

Current Status

• Gondar University Hospital has an existing eye unit which is in the process of becoming a stand alone tertiary eye care facility with Orbis International and Light of the World support.

• RTS will conduct a workshop with all collaborating partners to develop a strategic plan for the facility, in Feb 2008.

RTS Objectives

• To work alongside the existing NGOS and the University of Gondar to build a sustainable work plan for the new eye care facility.

• To provide the appropriate training to all key eye care personnel.