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Paediatric ophthalmology training in Africa through the Juba-Bournemouth VISION 2020 LINK

One of the aims of the College of Ophthalmology of Eastern, Central and Southern Africa (COECSA) is to provide specialist ophthalmic training for practising ophthalmologists from its 11 member countries. A number of initiatives are enabling more ophthalmologists to undertake...

IN FOCUS - Prevention and treatment of blindness worldwide: the story of ‘VISION 2020: The Right to Sight’

The story of blindness and efforts to prevent and treat it cannot be told without going back to the earliest recorded history of blindness. Trachoma was described in ancient Egypt, cataract surgery in India about the fifth century BC and...

Development of retinoblastoma services in Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe recognised the need for a paediatric ophthalmology service almost 20 years ago. The economic uncertainty in the country made it difficult to secure financial support, so initial funding came through local donors. Equipment – including vision charts, ophthalmoscopes and...

Development of paediatric ophthalmology services in Malawi: the VISION 2020 LINK between Blantyre and Glasgow

A VISION 2020 LINK was established in 2005 between the Lions Sight First Eye Hospital (LSFEH) in Blantyre, Malawi (part of the Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital) with Glasgow’s Royal Hospital for Children to help to develop a paediatric ophthalmic service...

The role of virtual Rb-NET Multidisciplinary Team meetings in the management of children with retinoblastoma in low- and middle-income countries

A selection of participants in an MDT meeting with Uganda. In 2017 the LINKS Programme developed a new network of LINKS to support and coordinate action against retinoblastoma (Rb) in response to requests from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), called...

Development of retinoblastoma care in Indonesia and the role of multidisciplinary team meetings

In the second article of a two-part series (See Part 1 here), the authors focus on the diagnosis and management of retinoblastoma in Indonesia. COVID-19 doesn’t get thanked for many things, but on 19 December 2020 as the world grew...

Capacity-building through the COECSA-RCOphth LINK – linking journals in a training and mentorship programme

The College of Ophthalmology of Central, Eastern and Southern Africa (COECSA) [1] and the Royal College of Ophthalmologists (RCOphth) [2] have a long-standing health partnership through the VISION 2020 LINKS Programme [3,4]. The LINK started a new project in 2019...

Developing a training model to strengthen diabetic retinopathy screening through a VISION 2020 LINK in India

I. Development of LINK Partnership A VISION 2020 LINK India was established by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in 2018 between the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India, Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust and...

The Lancet Global Health Commission on Global Eye Health: vision beyond 2020

Introduction The Lancet Global Health Commission on Global Eye Health was published in 2021 [1]. Drawing on expertise from within and outside the eye health sector, the Commission set out to: inform governments and other stakeholders about the path forward...

Capacity-strengthening for diabetic retinopathy services in low- and middle-income countries

Introduction DR-NET eye health professionals in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) have, since 2015, been able to access training in diabetic retinopathy (DR) grading provided by Gloucestershire Retinal Education Group (GREG). GREG, led by Professor Peter Scanlon and based at...

Developing eye health services in Malawi: a personal reflection

Dr Chinsisi Namate reflects on her first two years as a consultant ophthalmologist at the eye unit at Zomba Central Hospital, and how she has already successfully expanded eyecare services for southeast Malawi. The Lions Sight First Eye Hospital in...

Addressing childhood blindness in sub-Saharan Africa

In this article, the authors explore paediatric ophthalmology subspecialist fellowship training in African nations south of the Sahara. Until recently, most African ophthalmologists who wished to pursue a subspecialty ophthalmology training fellowship had to go abroad. There is a huge...