The Uganda House Fundraising Conference in London became a focal point for advancing eye care in Uganda, as the Climb4EyeHealth Campaign was officially launched to support sustainable vision health programs across the country.
Ambassador Nimisha Madhvani, Uganda’s High Commissioner to the UK, emphasized the importance of international collaboration in tackling preventable blindness.
“The High Commission is proud to support initiatives that forge lasting change through shared vision and united effort,” she said.
The campaign, spearheaded by Eye Health Africa with support from Ubora Foundation Africa, aims to raise funds through challenging climbs on Africa’s highest peaks, including Mount Stanley.
Proceeds will support cataract camps, diagnostics, and clinician training to reach vulnerable communities.
Eye Health Africa CEO Primrose Magala underscored the campaign’s dual focus on clinical excellence and community engagement, while Dr Innocent Ayesiga of Ubora Foundation Africa highlighted recent achievements, including training over 54 healthcare workers and introducing neonatal eye screening at Hoima Regional Referral Hospital.
Moses Mulimira, Global Health Partnerships Diaspora Engagement Advisor and Uganda UK Health Foundation In-country Manager, praised the campaign’s role in linking Moorfields NHS Foundation Trust with Ugandan health institutions.
“When global partnerships meet local priorities, lives are transformed. Preventable blindness no longer has to steal the future of Uganda’s children,” he said.
Uganda faces a significant burden of visual impairment, with an estimated 28,843 people blind and over 329,000 living with low vision.
Preventable conditions such as cataracts account for more than 40% of blindness cases.
A 2024–2025 Eye Health Systems Assessment revealed gaps in staffing, infrastructure, equipment, and medicines at regional hospitals and health centers.
Despite these challenges, progress is being made. On July 30, 2025, the Ministry of Health launched a pilot program distributing more than 16,000 reading glasses through community health workers, expanding primary eye care access in rural communities with support from EYElliance and the Clinton Health Access Initiative.
The Climb4EyeHealth campaign embodies the spirit of innovation and partnership, bringing together communities, governments, and global experts to improve eye care systems and secure a brighter, clearer future for millions of Ugandans.
