Teams restore sight across several outreaches
Ethiopia has one of the highest rates of blindness in the world, yet 80% of cases are preventable or treatable. Through surgery outreaches and professional training, HCP and its Ethiopian partners continue to work hard to reduce the burden of unnecessary blindness.
Throughout November, Dr. Geoff Tabin, HCP’s co-founder, and Dr. Matt Oliva, an HCP board member, worked alongside local doctors and staff to perform 2,375 sight-restoring cataract surgeries as well as host professional trainings in Harrar, Abra Minch and Wolaita.
“Together with our partners, HCP continued to make great progress in improving eye care and reducing needless blindness around the world this year,” Dr. Tabin said.
Dr. Zelalem Addisu, who runs the Eyu Clinic in Ethiopia, also recently led a team of eye care professionals for an outreach at Werabe comprehensive specialized hospital. The team performed 262 cataract surgeries and 52 trachomatous trichiasis surgeries.
The HCP Ethiopian country team traveled back to Bisidimo for the second time in six weeks to continue to meet the high-need for sight-restoring surgeries in the area.
Outreaches are planned for Hosanna and Jimma before the end of the year as teams continue to work towards meeting the goal of restoring sight and transforming lives for as many people as possible in Ethiopia.
