The Uganda House Fundraising Conference in London became a key event for advancing eye care in Uganda, with the official launch of the Climb4EyeHealth Campaign to support sustainable vision health programs across the country.
Ambassador Nimisha Madhvani, Uganda’s High Commissioner to the UK, highlighted the importance of global cooperation in combating preventable blindness. “The High Commission is proud to back initiatives that create lasting change through shared vision and collective effort,” she remarked.
The campaign, led by Eye Health Africa with support from Ubora Foundation Africa, aims to raise funds through challenging climbs on some of Africa’s highest peaks, including Mount Stanley. The proceeds will fund cataract camps, diagnostic services, and clinician training to reach vulnerable communities.
Eye Health Africa CEO Primrose Magala emphasized the campaign’s dual focus on clinical excellence and community involvement, while Dr. Innocent Ayesiga from Ubora Foundation Africa shared recent accomplishments, such as 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, commended the campaign for linking Moorfields NHS Foundation Trust with Ugandan health institutions. “When global partnerships align with local needs, lives are changed. Preventable blindness no longer has to steal the future of Uganda’s children,” he stated.
Uganda faces a significant challenge with visual impairment, with an estimated 28,843 people blind and over 329,000 living with low vision. Preventable conditions like cataracts account for over 40% of blindness cases.
A 2024–2025 Eye Health Systems Assessment revealed critical gaps in staffing, infrastructure, equipment, and medicines at regional hospitals and health centers.
Despite these obstacles, progress is being made. On July 30, 2025, the Ministry of Health launched a pilot program that distributed over 16,000 reading glasses through community health workers, improving access to primary eye care in rural areas with support from EYElliance and the Clinton Health Access Initiative.
The Climb4EyeHealth campaign embodies the spirit of innovation and collaboration, uniting communities, governments, and global experts to enhance eye care systems and ensure a brighter, clearer future for millions of Ugandans.