International Collaboration in Training Human Resources for Eye Care: Early Lessons from CBM Programmes in Sub-Saharan Africa

Being the text of the President’s Lecture delivered by Dr B.M. Qureshi during the 49th Annual Scientific Conference of the Ophthalmological Society of Nigeria on 27th August, 2025

Abstract

The global burden of vision impairment is rising, affecting at least 2.2 billion people, with over 1 billion cases preventable or untreated. Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) faces a “double deficit”: high levels of avoidable blindness and a severe shortage of trained eye-health personnel. While global initiatives advocate integrated, people-centred eye care (IPEC), they offer limited practical guidance on developing and maintaining the necessary workforce. This article outlines CBM's approach to strengthening human resources for eye health (HReH) in SSA through international collaboration. It highlights simulation-based surgical education, postgraduate ophthalmology scholarships, and subspecialty training partnerships. Collaborating with ministries of health, universities, and eye-care institutions, CBM aims to increase the number, skills, and distribution of eye-health workers. Key initiatives include a Lavelle-funded, multi-country simulation programme for cataract and glaucoma surgery at the University of Cape Town and partner centres; a proposed national simulation training initiative in Nigeria with HelpMeSee; postgraduate scholarships for African ophthalmologists; and partnerships with LV Prasad Eye Institute, Children’s Vision Fund, and the International Ophthalmological Fellowship Foundation (IOFF). By early 2025, the simulation project had trained 118 ophthalmic surgeons and twenty-four trainers. Follow-up surveys with 200 trainees found that 93% reported increased surgical confidence, 78% experienced fewer complications, and 74% saw improved postoperative visual outcomes. The scholarship programme has supported 140 doctors, with 102 completing residency, 34 in training, and four discontinuing. CBM’s experience suggests that coordinated investments in simulation training, regional postgraduate education, and fellowships can expand the eye-health workforce and enhance the quality of care. Integrating these initiatives within national health systems and aligning with IPEC and 2030 In Sight provides a practical pathway to translate eye-health strategies into workforce-focused implementation.