Africa-Press – Ethiopia. A Pediatric Eye Unit built with 1,129,412 Euro in the premises of Alert Comprehensive Specialized Hospital was inaugurated today.
The nation’s first Pediatric Eye Care Unit designed specifically to combat childhood blindness was realized through the collaboration of ALERT Specialized Comprehensive Hospital, Christian Blind Mission (CBM), Lions Germany, and the RTL Foundation, it was learned.
During the inauguration, Health Minister Dr. Mekdes Daba said the unit will play a crucial role in delivering timely, specialized eye care to children as well as serving as a center of excellence.
“Children who receive timely eye care are better able to learn, participate fully in society, and grow into adults who can contribute to the future of our country,” she noted.
The unit addresses common childhood eye conditions such as cataracts and infections —significant causes of blindness that are often preventable or treatable.
By providing these services locally, the facility reduces the burdensome costs and travel families previously faced to access care.
Christian Blind Mission Programme Development and Implementation Global Director, Niang Mbacke, praised the facility as “a center of healing and transformation,” designed to deliver early detection, surgical and non-surgical treatment, rehabilitation, and ongoing care in a child-friendly setting.
According to him, CBM has reached millions with sight-restoring procedures and assistive devices in 2023/24 alone to meet its pledge that “no one is left behind.”
Lions Deutschland Multi District Council Chairman, Ottmar Heinen, pointed out that the unit reflected the years of partnership, resilience, and dedication that culminated in the unit’s completion despite the COVID-19 pandemic challenges.
“This clinic —the first stand-alone children’s eye care center in Ethiopia, will provide hope and healing for countless families,” he said.
Heinen projected that up to 40,000 children will benefit annually, including approximately 5,000 undergoing sight-restoring surgeries for conditions like cataracts and glaucoma, promising not only vision but renewed opportunity.
Alert Comprehensive Specialized Hospital CEO, Dr. Shimelis Gezahegn, said the hospital initially founded in 1934 for leprosy treatment has evolved into a comprehensive specialized hospital with 29 specialties, exemplifying the power of local commitment combined with international solidarity.
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