Orbis Ethiopia

18/09/2025

Spending time with schoolchildren and feeling the warmth and respect from the community, especially through the thoughtful gifts they shared, was a truly special part of our visit.

18/09/2025

Our visit to the Dilla Secondary Eye Care Unit was truly inspiring. Witnessing the complicated workings of the human eye, where advanced technology meets expert knowledge, was a fascinating experience.
Our guests also had the opportunity to observe firsthand how dedicated eye care professionals carry out their work with care and compassion. It was a powerful reminder of the impact that skilled healthcare and supportive tools can have on people’s lives.

18/09/2025

A Meaningful Visit to Hawassa University Comprehensive Specialized Hospital
On Tuesday, September 17, 2025, we had the honor of visiting the Tertiary Eye Care Unit at Hawassa University Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, with a special emphasis on the Pediatric Eye Care Department. It was truly an eye-opening experience that offered valuable insights into their operations and fostered thoughtful exchanges with the passionate professionals working on the front lines.
Visits like these are invaluable, not only for sharing best practices but also for uncovering systemic challenges and opportunities for growth. A key concern raised by the department head was the difficulty in retaining ophthalmologists, further complicated by infrastructure limitations that hinder the delivery of optimal eye care services.
Recognizing these gaps is a vital step toward building more resilient and effective healthcare systems. We deeply appreciate the transparency and collaboration shown by the team, and we’re committed to supporting efforts that strengthen pediatric eye care and elevate service delivery across the board.

16/09/2025

Exciting news! Orbis International is featured in New York Times-bestselling author Mary Roach's brand-new book, Replaceable You: Adventures in Human Anatomy, out today.

Throughout the book, Mary takes readers on a witty and compelling adventure into parts of the body that can be replaced through modern medicine, like the lens of the eye in cataract surgery.

In Chapter 11, “The Mongolian Eyeball,” Mary journeys through Mongolia with Orbis, witnessing cataract surgeries, the power of training local doctors, and the life-changing impact of restored sight.

Check out our latest blog to learn more about this incredible feature—and don’t forget, Replaceable You is available now! 👀✨

https://www.orbis.org/en/news/2025/replaceable-you

15/09/2025

A truly inspiring visit to Menilik II Comprehensive Hospital, our leading tertiary eye care center and proud home of East Africa’s first eye bank. Grateful for the continued support from Orbis Ethiopia in making visionary care a reality.

15/09/2025

Welcoming Our Global Colleagues to Orbis Ethiopia
We are delighted to host esteemed representatives from our global offices:
• Esther Ndung’u, Regional HR Partner for Africa
• Mark White, Chief Financial & Administrative Officer
• Oury Diallo, Director of Program Finance
Their visit marks a valuable opportunity to exchange insights, strengthen collaboration, and identify ways to bridge gaps within the Ethiopia Country Office.
Our warm welcome began with an engaging presentation by Dr. Alemayehu Sisay, Orbis Ethiopia Country Director, who provided an overview of our programs and impact across the region.
The experience-sharing continues with a visit to Menilik II Comprehensive Hospital, our tertiary eye care unit and home to East Africa’s first eye bank. established with support from Orbis Ethiopia. Tomorrow, we look forward to heading out for a site visit to one of our project locations.
Together, we’re building a stronger future for eye health in Ethiopia and beyond.

13/09/2025

✨ to 2017, when Seymour, our Orbis bear 🐻 joined us in Ethiopia for the Great Ethiopian Run — making sure to get his beauty sleep at the before the big day! 🏃‍♂️💤

Fast forward to today… in just TWO months, we’ll be back in Ethiopia with an incredible group of supporters, all running to raise funds for Orbis’s sight-saving work. 👁️💙

Stay tuned as we count down to race day and share their inspiring journey! 🇪🇹👀

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03/09/2025

Bringing clarity to communities, snapshots from our latest eye care milestone

01/09/2025

Southwest Ethiopia, august 29, 2025 — In a landmark initiative to expand access to essential eye health services, Orbis Ethiopia, with support from Orbis UK, is establishing two secondary eye care units in Southwest Ethiopia. The project marks a significant advancement in the region’s healthcare infrastructure.
The first unit is being launched at Bonga G/Tsadik Shawo General Hospital, designed to deliver comprehensive eye care to underserved populations. Meanwhile, a larger facility is under development at Mizan Aman Hospital, which will become the region’s first-ever Secondary Eye Care Unit (SECU).
Together, these units are expected to serve more than 3.6 million residents across the Southwest Ethiopia Region (SWER), offering high-quality, affordable, and accessible eye care services.
Currently, the closest facility providing regular eye care is Jimma University Hospital, located approximately 260 kilometers from Mizan. The long travel distance, combined with high treatment costs and limited health seeking behavior, has left many residents with untreated eye conditions often resulting in irreversible vision loss.
Health officials emphasize that the new SECU will help bridge this gap by bringing services closer to the community, reducing preventable blindness, and promoting health equity. The initiative is part of a broader strategy to strengthen regional healthcare systems and ensure that marginalized populations receive the care they need.
“This is more than just a medical upgrade it’s a lifeline for thousands who’ve had no access to proper eye care,” said the Country Director of Orbis Ethiopia.
The eye care units are expected to be fully operational in the coming months, ushering in a new era of vision health for Southwest Ethiopia.

28/08/2025

26/08/2025

What an incredible week it’s been! We had the pleasure of welcoming our Orbis family from Zambia, Ghana, Vietnam, Mongolia, and Bangladesh to Ethiopia 🇪🇹.
Our journey began at the COECSA Congress, where we proudly shared a booth showcasing Orbis’s impactful work. From there, we dove into a powerful gender workshop, explored parts of Addis Ababa, and toured our office—where Dr. Alemayehu, Dawit, and our project managers gave an inspiring presentation.
The highlight? Visiting Dilla Zuria woredas to witness firsthand the amazing work being done in our secondary and primary eye care units. From cataract surgeries to tackling the TT backlog, our guests were deeply moved by the dedication and efficiency of the Ethiopian team.
It was a truly meaningful experience for all of us full of learning, connection, and shared purpose.

26/08/2025

𝐄𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟏𝟐𝐭𝐡 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐎𝐩𝐡𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐦𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐄𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧, 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐧 𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚 (𝐂𝐎𝐄𝐂𝐒A) 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐭𝐲𝐥𝐞
The last day of the congress began with a Women Leaders in Eye Health breakfast session with notable speakers from Ethiopia, Zambia, Kenya and Uganda. The session whose theme was “Empowered to deliver: Unlocking the potential of female workers in eye health through skills transfer, leadership and mentorship” explored how empowering women strengthens health systems and improves outcomes across the region.

We heard from distinguished panelists and champions of equitable eye care delivery; Dr. Hillary Rono, Country Director, Peek in Kenya; Dr. Kumale Tolesa, a paediatric ophthalmologist and strabismus sub-specialist, and Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at Jimma University in Ethiopia; Dr. Menen Ayalew, Dr. Menen Ayalew Shibeshi, a renowned cornea surgeon and Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at Addis Ababa University; Dr. Viola Ninsiima Arunga, a Medical Doctor and Public Health Specialist, and Executive Director of Dr. Arunga’s Eye Hospital in Uganda; and Dr. Phylis Moonga, a Glaucoma Specialist and Zambia’s National Eye Health Coordinator,
The discussion was moderated by Dr. Mpopi Lenake is a Cape Town–based ophthalmologist at Groote Schuur Hospital.

Women Leaders in Eye Health (WLEH) is a collaboration between Orbis International, Seva Foundation and Women in Ophthalmology.

Orbis Zambia and Ethiopia on the last day and during the week made presentations on research and shared best practices. Earlier in the week, Orbis Ethiopia Country Director Dr. Alemayehu Sissay presented on, “The role of community ophthalmology in strengthening tertiary eye care Services” and on the last day on provided an update on the progress towards eliminating Trachoma by 2030, highlighting successful interventions.

Dr. Samson Tesfaye, Senior Programmes Manager at Orbis Ethiopia presented joint research findings by Orbis Zambia and Ethiopia on “Evaluating Targeted Investments to Improve Cataract Surgical Outcomes in Africa Using the Better Operatives Outcomes Software Tool (BOOST).

Additionally, Enock Nsokolo, Orbis Zambia Monitoring and Evaluation Manager made a presentation on Zambia’s journey to strengthening Eye Health Information Management Systems. Ruth Nswana, Senior Programmes Manager, Zambia presented findings from Primary Eye Care research titled, “Barriers and Enablers of Primary Eye Care: A Zambian Experience”.

Meanwhile, Dr. Phyllis Moonga, Zambia’s National Eye Health Coordinator and Glaucoma Specialist, shared findings from the ‘National Analysis of Cataract Surgical Performance in Zambia: 2022–2023 Survey Results’.

The 12th COECSA Congress was a milestone in advancing quality eye care across the region. Through rigorous research, presentations, and shared experiences, the Congress reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that communities have access to the quality eye care services they deserve.