Health 19 March 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Uganda's Eye Care Crisis: Shortages and High Costs Fuel Blindness Epidemic
Uganda grapples with severe shortages in eye care, including just 40 ophthalmologists for over 45 million people, leading to high blindness rates from cataracts and glaucoma. Rural areas suffer from poor diagnostics, limited awareness, and exorbitant surgery costs up to Shs2.5 million. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/special-reports/price-of-sight-the-pain-in-accessing-eye-care-services-5396138
Uganda faces a mounting eye health crisis, with limited access to specialized care driving up blindness cases. A 2025 Ministry of Health report reveals 28,843 blind individuals, 329,489 with low vision, and thousands more affected by vision impairment.
Cataracts and glaucoma top the list of causes, accounting for most blindness. Unoperated cataracts make up 39.3% of cases, followed by corneal opacities at 32.6%, with 72% of severe impairments being avoidable.
Take Paul Odongo, a 74-year-old from Apac District. His painless cataract went undiagnosed at a local government hospital due to lacking specialists. He traveled over 300km to Mengo Hospital in Kampala, paying Shs1.2 million per eye surgery—costs that can hit Shs2.5 million in private facilities.
Rural challenges abound: clinics use torches instead of vital tools like slit lamps. Dr. Jacob Ntende of Mulago Hospital notes low awareness pushes people to herbal remedies, while patients flock to urban centers for proper care.
The country has only about 40 ophthalmologists for 45 million, leaving regional hospitals like Jinja, Lira, and Gulu understaffed and reliant on clinical officers.
Recent data shows 7% of Ugandans have reduced vision, spiking to 6.9-8.9% in those over 50. Between 2020-2024, hospitals treated over 154,000 outpatient eye cases.
Efforts like eye camps, such as one launched by Sudhir Ruparelia in memory of his son, aim to bridge gaps, but systemic fixes are urgently needed.
Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)