Successful Outreach in Mekelle, Ethiopia

Partners at Quiha Zonal Hospital, led by local ophthalmologist Dr. Tilahun Kiros, provided 934 sight restoring cataract surgeries in just one week from September 2-7. The full team included HCP Co-Founder, Dr. Geoff Tabin; HCP Board Member, Guy Kezirian; Former HCP International Fellow and Affiliated Ophthalmologist, Dr. Zvi Kresh; HCP Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist, Jamie Clearfield; HCP Ghanaian partners, Drs. Oscar Debrah and James Addy; and HCP International Fellow Dr. Allison Jarstad.

Of the 934 surgeries performed, 846 were cataract surgeries. In addition to cataract, patients were screened for trachoma trichiasis (TT) as part of a two year initiative with the Izumi Foundation to implement a combined cataract and trachoma (“TT+”) program with partners at Arba Minch and Quiha Zonal Hospitals. In total, 85 trachoma trichiasis (TT) surgeries were performed as part of the outreach efforts.The TT+ program was developed to help HCP’s partners in Ethiopia provide services to those arriving at planned cataract screenings with a variety of non-cataract eye ailments including trachoma.