Over 1,500 people regain their sight in the first year, paving the way for 6,000 surgeries and 60,000 screenings over three years
More than 1,500 cataract surgeries have been successfully performed in Sierra Leone during the first year of a joint outreach initiative between the Noor Dubai Foundation and Choithram International Foundation, restoring sight and dignity to some of the nation’s most underserved communities.
Launched in partnership with Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Health (MOH), the three-year programme called Advancing Sustainable Outcomes aims to reduce avoidable blindness by strengthening local ophthalmic capacity through training, technology transfer, and long-term collaboration. The initiative is being delivered in cooperation with Choithram Memorial Hospital (CMH) in Freetown and supported by the expertise of Choithram Netralaya Eye Hospital in India.
According to a 2021 Rapid Assessment of Avoidable Blindness (RAAB), 5.4% of Sierra Leoneans aged 50 and above live with blindness, affecting more than 43,000 people. Cataracts account for nearly 60% of all cases, yet less than one-third of those affected have access to surgical intervention. The Noor Dubai and Choithram partnership seeks to bridge this gap by performing an estimated 6,000 cataract surgeries and 60,000 screenings over the next three years, offering thousands the chance to regain their sight, renewed independence, employment prospects, and improved quality of life.
Beyond immediate medical aid, the initiative focuses on capacity building. Each month, Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Health will send two ophthalmologists and four nurses to train under specialists from Choithram Netralaya, ensuring that local medical teams are equipped with advanced surgical skills and techniques.
Dr Manal Taryam, Chief Executive Officer of the Noor Dubai Foundation, described the project as a transformative partnership for Africa’s eye health sector.
“Ensuring access to quality eye care is not just about restoring sight, it is about restoring dignity, independence, and opportunity. Through this initiative, we aim to empower communities by eliminating avoidable blindness and strengthening local ophthalmic capacity for long-term impact. This project demonstrates the power of the UAE’s public-private partnerships in bringing hope to communities in need,” she said.
Each year, a six-month surgical outreach camp will run from January to June, avoiding the rainy season to ensure the highest quality of care and maximise patient participation. Screenings are conducted in three stages. The first takes place at district-level hospitals, followed by online assessments by CMH experts. A final evaluation is carried out in Freetown a day before surgery.
Mr L.T. Pagarani, Chairman of Choithrams Group, commended the UAE’s leadership for inspiring humanitarian collaboration.
“Their vision inspires us, and through this initiative called the Lighthouse Project, we aim to bring that vision to life by combining public-private partnerships to generate lasting humanitarian outcomes. It is another opportunity to deliver goodness, the way we do every day at Choithrams,” he said.
He further praised the partnership with Noor Dubai Foundation and Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Health, underscoring a shared commitment to long-term social and economic transformation through improved healthcare access.
The initiative draws on Choithram Netralaya’s extensive experience, having already conducted over 200,000 free cataract surgeries worldwide. To remove financial and logistical barriers, CMH coordinates patient transport to and from the hospital, covers meals, accommodation, and provides all necessary medication at no cost. Post-operative care is available at district hospitals to ensure patients receive follow-up support close to home.
To measure the programme’s effectiveness and sustainability, Dr Gabriel Osei-Anokye and Dr Ving Fai Chan from Queen’s University Belfast (QUB), in collaboration with Noor Dubai Foundation’s research team, are conducting a comprehensive evaluation. The study will assess improvements in vision, patient wellbeing, and socio-economic outcomes, providing data-driven insights to enhance future outreach efforts in Sierra Leone and globally.
The Noor Dubai Foundation and Choithrams reaffirm their commitment to advancing sustainable, inclusive healthcare by addressing preventable blindness, turning vision restoration into a pathway for dignity, productivity, and lasting social change.
