Addressing avoidable vision impairment in Mozambique and the Africa region

ABSTRACT

The Mozambique Eyecare Project was an international partnership to implement and research eye health education in Mozambique and the Africa region. An optometry degree was developed at Universidade Lúrio, Mozambique. In addition, existing eye health workers were upskilled with training. Researchers from various disciplines evaluated the project and its potential for impact on eye health in the region. The body of evidence generated from the research provides useful lessons for development programmes in general, as well as specific lessons for delivering eye health education and service delivery models for low-income settings.

KEYWORDS:

• Aid – Capacity development
• Civil society – Partnership
• Gender and diversity – Disability
• Labour and livelihoods – Poverty reduction
• Economics
• Social sector – Education, Health
• Sub-Saharan Africa

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Stephen Thompson is a Post-Doctoral Fellow at the Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex, UK.

Kovin Naidoo was the CEO of the Brien Holden Vision Institute and is an Associate Professor of Optometry at the University of KwaZulu Natal, South Africa, Adjunct Faculty at Salus University in Philadelphia, USA and Senior Visiting Fellow at the University of New South Wales, Australia.

Joel Bambamba is a Lecturer at Universidade Lúrio, Mozambique.

Vanessa Moodley is a Senior Lecturer at University KwaZulu Natal, South Africa.

Diane van Staden is an Academic Leader at University KwaZulu Natal, South Africa.

Amanda Forde was a Research Programme Manager at the Dublin Institute of Technology, Ireland.

Kajal Shah was a Researcher for the Dublin Institute of Technology, Ireland.

Luigi Bilotto is the Director of Education at Brien Holden Vision Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.

James Loughman is a Professor at the Dublin Institute of Technology and the Director for the Centre for Eye Research Ireland.

ORCID

Stephen Thompson http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9637-2041

Kovin Naidoo http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8261-9779

Joel Bambamba http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5055-881X

Vanessa Moodley http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1942-974X

Diane van Staden http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2028-1711

Amanda Forde http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6005-1112

Kajal Shah http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5848-2976

Luigi Bilotto http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1934-8125

James Loughman http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3130-8991

Additional information

Funding

This research was produced as part of the Mozambique Eyecare Project, which was funded by Irish Aid.