Ethiopia

Vice-President: Dr. Zelalem Eshetu

Secretary General: Dr. Sadik Taju Sherief

Treasurer: Dr. Mahlet Tsegaye

Contact: admin@wspos.org

Ophthalmological Society of Ethiopia

The Ophthalmological Society of Ethiopia (OSE) is a professional association of ophthalmologists established in 1994. It is maintained and managed by an executive committee which consists of President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, the immediate Past President and an elected member. The main headquarters is located the among the Ethiopian Medical Association (EMA) in front of the African Union, near Mexico Square, in Addis Ababa Ethiopia.
The OSE is one of the members of the International Council of Ophthalmologists/ The International Federation of Ophthalmological Societies and associate member of The Ophthalmological Society of Eastern Africa. The OSE is represented in the executive committee of the National Committee for Prevention of Blindness of Ethiopia as the Vice Chairman. OSE is also on the Board of Trustees of the Eye Bank of Ethiopia. The OSE aims to improve the quality of eye care in Ethiopia and eliminate avoidable blindness.

The mission of the OSE is to improve the quality of eye care in Ethiopia and to create togetherness between various
Ophthalmic Professionals and to work for a common goal on the prevention of blindness.

Core Values:
 To create togetherness between various ophthalmic professional and to work for a common goal.
 To land for the professional managements and privileges of its members.
 To work towards the development of high standard ophthalmic services in Ethiopia.
 To support the promotion of scientific research and professional refinement in ophthalmology.
 To create public awareness of eye diseases as the prevention of blindness through seminars, pamphlets the
mass media, etc.
 To prepare forums for continued Medical Education (CME) for its members and associate members.
 To collaborate with sister societies and NGOs locally and internationally for exchange of scientific knowledge as
technology in the field of ophthalmology.

Ophthalmology in Ethiopia in Brief:
In Ethiopia, the prevalence of blindness and low vision is 1.6% and 3.7% respectively, representing one of the highest prevalence rates in Sub-Saharan Africa and the world. (National Survey on Blindness, Low Vision and Trachoma, 2006.)
According to 2017 reports, there are 142 general ophthalmologists including 20 subspecialists practicing in the country. Across Ethiopia, there are only 47 public secondary eye care units and four tertiary centers. Five Universities conduct training for eye health workers, including, Ophthalmologists, Optometrists and Cataract surgeons.
The Government of Ethiopia has recognized blindness as one of the major health problems of the country and has done its best in the past few years to address this situation. The government officially launched the VISION 2020: The Right to Sight Global Initiative in September 2002. The FMOH has developed four National Five-Year Eye Strategic Plans in line with V2020 activities. These tasks are coordinated through the national committee for the prevention of blindness (NCPB) chaired by FMOH and membership of the committee includes all relevant stakeholders.