Uganda invests in eye health to boost economic growth

Uganda will launch a 5 million dollar investment in eye healthcare to improve access to vision services for more than five million people by 2031.

The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness announced the funding during the Global Summit for Eye Health in St. John’s, Antigua and Barbuda. The summit brought together world leaders and health organizations to address global gaps in sight-saving services.

The investment aims to expand tele-ophthalmology, create research partnerships, and improve coordination to meet the goals of the National Eye Health Strategic Plan. Analysis from the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness suggests that this 5.74 million dollar investment between 2026 and 2030 could generate 48.2 million dollars in economic benefits for Uganda. The project intends to improve educational results, reduce depression caused by vision loss, and lower traffic-related fatalities.

To achieve this, health authorities plan to increase domestic eye care financing by 20 percent and integrate eye health metrics into national data systems. VisionSpring Uganda will work with local and international partners to provide technical assistance and build supply chains for affordable eyeglasses. The organization aims to provide corrective eyewear to 750,000 more people in Uganda by 2030, with a focus on agricultural workers and artisans.

The national strategy also seeks to increase the cataract surgical rate to 800 operations per million people annually and include essential eye services in 72 percent of general hospitals and Health Centre IVs.