October marks a global moment for eye‑health advocacy, and Sierra Leone’s most anticipated cataract outreach campaign is entering a new phase of acceleration in the fight against avoidable blindness. The influential campaign is delivered by Choithram International Foundation (https://www.Choithrams.com/) in association with Noor Dubai Foundation, led by CEO Dr. Manal Taryam as part of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI), and the Ministry of Health, Sierra Leone alongside Choithram Memorial Hospital, reflecting a shared commitment to world‑class eye care and the elimination of preventable blindness.
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Conceived in 2024, the multi‑year initiative has restored sight to thousands of Sierra Leoneans through free cataract surgeries, community screenings, and long‑term capacity building. Cataracts remain the leading cause of blindness in the country, where the 2021 RAAB study found that 5.4% of adults over 50 are blind, with cataracts responsible for nearly 60% of cases.
A newly published peer-reviewed study in BMJ Open provides important evidence from the programme’s first implementation cycle, demonstrating improvements in patients’ vision-related quality of life while highlighting the operational challenges and adaptations necessary to deliver cataract services in resource-constrained settings.
A Year of Acceleration
The second surgical cycle, conducted between March and August 2026, marked a turning point. More than 5,768 adults were screened or consulted, 2,460 received medical treatment, and 1,522 cataract surgeries were performed, all this while also managing additional surgical interventions and referrals. It makes Year Two one of the largest eye‑care outreach efforts in Sierra Leone’s history, with patients travelling from across the country and neighbouring Guinea and Liberia, underscoring the programme’s growing regional reach and influence.
Capacity building, a core goal of the campaign, has also seen a clear uptick. Seventeen ophthalmic professionals were trained across clinical and surgical roles, including cataract surgeons, ophthalmology nurses, OT nurses, and registrars, further strengthening the country’s long‑term eye‑care workforce.
WHO (World Health Organization) notes that more than 80% of global vision impairment is preventable or treatable, underscoring the importance of programmes that combine service delivery with long‑term capacity building. This aligns with WHO’s 2030 global eye‑care targets, which call for major increases in effective cataract surgical coverage and sustained investment in national eye‑health systems.
Two operating theatres ran simultaneously at Choithram Memorial Hospital, supported by Sierra Leonean staff trained through monthly exchanges with Choithram Netralaya (India). Every patient received surgery, medication, transport, accommodation, and follow‑up care at no cost, establishing a model that continues to set a benchmark for accessible eye care in the region.
To help ensure that the programme delivers lasting impact, researchers Dr Gabriel Osei-Anokye and Dr Ving Fai Chan from Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) and Dr M Mansur Rabiu from Noor Dubai Foundation are leading a comprehensive evaluation. The evaluation examines programme efficiency, patient satisfaction, quality of care, and changes in patients’ quality of life following cataract surgery.
Aligned with WHO standards, the research assesses not only improvements in vision and clinical outcomes, but also the wider psychosocial and socioeconomic benefits of restoring sight among people who have limited access to cataract services. Drawing on expertise in global health and eye care, the team is generating evidence to identify what works, where improvements can be made, and how lessons from the programme can inform future outreach. These findings will support the continued strengthening and sustainability of cataract services in Sierra Leone and provide learning that may be relevant to similar programmes elsewhere.
Human Impact at the Centre
For many beneficiaries, restored sight means restored independence. One patient, Isatu Kamara, shared: “My right eye is now very bright. I am happy with the result and I look forward to coming back next year for the left eye.”
Such stories reflect the programme’s broader social impact, enabling farmers to return to work, caregivers to regain mobility, and older adults to reconnect with their families. Quality of life improves immediately, restoring dignity and participation in socio‑economic life.
Independent Evaluation Published in BMJ Open Strengthens the Evidence Base
A peer-reviewed study published in BMJ Open on 9 October 2026 evaluated the programme’s first implementation cycle (February–August 2025), examining its achievements, operational challenges and adaptations during implementation. Led by researchers from Queen’s University Belfast and programme partners Noor Dubai Foundation, the study reported that 9,117 individuals were screened and 1,433 cataract surgeries performed in Year One of the cycle. Among 271 patients with complete follow-up assessments, vision-related quality of life improved significantly by an average of 17 points, particularly in mental health, near-vision and distance-vision activities.
Beyond these achievements, the evaluation highlighted important challenges, including workforce limitations, transportation barriers, incomplete clinical records and low postoperative follow-up attendance, with only 19% returning at one month. The findings emphasise that successful cataract outreach requires more than delivering surgeries; it also depends on effective referral pathways, continuity of care and responsive programme management. Lessons from the first cycle have helped identify opportunities to strengthen subsequent implementation cycles and offer valuable insights for similar programmes in resource-constrained settings.
Voices from the Partnership
Mr. L.T. Pagarani, Chairman, Choithrams Group
“Goodness inspires more goodness, and this second year of our cataract outreach shows exactly that. After restoring sight for hundreds of people in our first cycle, we returned with even greater resolve to deepen our collaborative action. We are grateful to the Government of Sierra Leone, especially the Ministry of Health, for their partnership, and to Noor Dubai Foundation for their leadership and guidance. Above all, we honour the dedication of our doctors and staff whose work makes this impact possible. The celebration of restored vision belongs as much to the beneficiaries as it does to all of us who believe in the power of service to society.”
Drs. Gabriel Osei-Anokye and Ving Fai Chan, Queen’s University Belfast
“The progress we see in this second year is the careful reflection, rigorous evaluation, and a shared commitment to learning from the first cycle. Our research shows that when cataract programmes use evidence to continually improve how services are delivered, the benefits extend far beyond better vision. People regain mobility, confidence, independence, and the ability to participate more fully in their families and communities. Sierra Leone’s experience shows how strong leadership, continuous learning, and cross-sector collaboration can deliver high-quality outcomes even in challenging settings. Restoring sight is therefore more than a medical intervention; it is about enabling people to regain independence, opportunity, and their place in community life.”
Looking Ahead: A Bigger, Faster, More Connected Year Three
The programme now moves into its third cycle, scheduled from January to April 2027, marking another step in Sierra Leone’s long‑term journey toward eliminating avoidable blindness. With approximately 80 working days earmarked for clinical interventions, partners aim to perform 2,500 to 3,000 cataract surgeries, the most ambitious target yet, reflecting rising demand and growing national capacity.
Preparations are already underway. Level 1 screenings began on 1 September, with a deliberate focus on rural provinces where access to eye care remains limited. Strengthening collaboration with district health authorities is central to this next phase, ensuring increased referrals and earlier identification of at‑risk patients.
Operationally, Year Three will rely on the expanded cadre of Sierra Leonean ophthalmic staff trained during the first two cycles, supported by ongoing mentorship from Choithram Netralaya (India). With an average of 40 surgeries per day, the programme is moving steadily toward domestic clinical self‑sufficiency while maintaining world‑class standards of care.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Choithram International Foundation.
Links to additional content:
Capacity building, a core goal of the campaign, has also seen a clear uptick. Seventeen ophthalmic professionals were trained across clinical and surgical roles, including cataract surgeons, ophthalmology nurses, OT nurses, and registrars, further strengthening the country’s long‑-term eye‑-care workforce.
Testimonials of beneficiaries in links below:
Link 1: https://apo-opa.co/4z9MeiU
Link 2: https://apo-opa.co/4sms9mL
Please refer to the following study for implementation lessons from a high‑-volume cataract screening and surgical programme in Sierra Leone:
“What are the implementation lessons from a high‑-volume cataract screening and surgical programme? A mixed‑-methods implementation evaluation in Sierra Leone.”
Full paper available at: https://apo-opa.co/4z5wX2z
Detailed Year 1 Report Link: https://apo-opa.co/4yXEnEM
Detailed Year 1 Ophthalmic Training Report Link: https://apo-opa.co/47udPiv
The Infographic Shows Effective Management for Sustainable Outcomes: How Sierra Leone’s Cataract Outreach Model Restores Sight Through Coordinated Planning, Collaboration, and Data‑-Driven Impact.
About Noor Dubai Foundation, Dubai, UAE:
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President, Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai launched the “Noor Dubai Initiative” on September 3, 2008. Noor Dubai started as an international charitable initiative for the prevention and treatment of blindness and impaired vision.
Noor Dubai was launched with the vision of a world free from avoidable causes of blindness. therapeutic, preventative and educational programmes to treat and prevent blindness and visual impairment in developing countries on a regional and international scale.
Following the success achieved of reaching out to over 5.8 million individuals worldwide in its first year, a decree was passed by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, launching the Noor Dubai Foundation as a non-governmental, non-for-profit organization, aiming to eliminate all forms of preventable blindness globally.
About Queen’s University Belfast, UK:
Queen’s University Belfast is a prestigious research-intensive institution and a member of the Russell Group, which represents the UK’s leading universities committed to excellence in research and education. Founded in 1845 as Queen’s College Belfast, the university became independent in 1908 and has since established itself as a global leader in innovation and academic excellence.
About Choithram Netralaya – Indore, India:
Choithram Netralaya- CN (Eye Hospital) is a NABH-accredited eye care hospital that has been in operation for more than 25 years. Since its inception, CN has transformed thousands of lives with the gift of sight. The eye hospital facility outside the central Indian city of Indore can accommodate more than 250 patients across 8 general wards with a provision of 12 fully-equipped operating theatres – a team of 13 specialists perform cataract surgery all day and all night. More than 20,000 patients from the rural areas visit CN every year to avail of free cataract surgery, the hospital conducts more than 78% of all cataract surgeries across central India (14 districts, total population of ~20million)
Choithram Netralaya is a one-stop solution for all eye problems, and provides comprehensive eye care services covering Cataracts, glaucoma, Orbit & Oculoplasty, Cornea & Retina, Paediatric Ophthalmology, Community Ophthalmology, Ocular Oncology, Corneal Transplant, Squint, Ocular Trauma, Neuro-Ophthalmology, Uveitis, Low vision aids & visual rehabilitation, Ocular Prosthesis, and Ophthalmic Anaesthesia, among other services.
About Choithram Memorial Hospital, Freetown, Sierra Leone:
Choithram Memorial Hospital (CMH) is a leading multispecialty healthcare provider in Freetown, Sierra Leone, committed to delivering high-quality, accessible medical care. Established in 1993, CMH has grown into one of the country’s most trusted hospitals, offering a wide range of services, including cardiology, neurology, ophthalmology, and emergency care. Situated on a five-acre campus, the hospital is equipped with modern facilities and a dedicated team of medical professionals. CMH plays a vital role in Sierra Leone’s healthcare ecosystem, providing comprehensive treatment while ensuring affordability and accessibility for all patients