Global Foundation Donates Mobile Eye Clinics to Strengthen UKZN Optometry Programme

The University of KwaZulu-Natal’s (UKZN) Discipline of Optometry has received a major boost to its community outreach and student training initiatives through the donation of two mobile eye clinics by the OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation (OSELF) in partnership with the Transnet Foundation.

The initiative marks the first time a university in Africa has been selected by the OSELF to implement its container-based graduate optometry programme.

Sponsored by the Transnet Foundation, the two fully branded shipping containers have been converted into functional optometry clinics, with one established at UKZN’s Edgewood campus and the second on the Howard College campus. Transnet’s engineering team ensured that the clinics are fully functional to provide basic eye care services, including eye examinations and glaucoma screening, to students, staff, and surrounding communities. Patients will also have access to spectacles at discounted rates.

The project builds on an existing partnership between UKZN and the OSELF, which previously supported the University’s outreach programmes through the provision of spectacles and optical products for underserved communities.

Head of UKZN’s Optometry Discipline, Dr Naimah Ebrahim Khan, said: “Through engagement with the OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation and Transnet Foundation, I was able to secure the donation of two shipping containers that have been converted into fully functional optometry clinics. OSELF donated the equipment, funded the conversion of the containers, and continues to assist with operational aspects of the project. The Transnet Foundation donated the containers.”

“At Transnet Foundation, we are passionate about transforming lives through journeys of collaboration, and this initiative is a powerful example of what can be achieved when organisations work together for social impact,” said Ms Shamona Kandia, Portfolio Manager: Health at the Transnet Foundation. “The gift of sight can change lives, and what is being launched today will positively impact many communities for years to come,” she added.

College of Health Sciences Dean of Teaching and Learning Professor Sinegugu Duma welcomed the donation, saying: “This initiative significantly strengthens the clinical training platform for UKZN Optometry by expanding our service footprint to three of the University’s five campuses and creating two additional clinical training sites for our students. Importantly, UKZN is the first university in Africa selected by the OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation to implement a project of this nature, making this a particularly significant milestone for the Institution. We hope these clinics will bring much-needed eye care services closer to communities that often face barriers to accessing quality eye health services. We thank the Transnet Foundation for the donation and refurbishment of the two containers which have been converted into fully functional clinics.”

Senior Project Co-ordinator at the OSELF Ms Busisiwe Butangu said: “UKZN is the first university in Africa selected to implement this innovative initiative, and we are excited about the opportunities it will bring for students and communities alike. Our mission is to eliminate poor and uncorrected vision in underserved communities, and partnerships such as this help us bring affordable eye care services closer to the people who need them most.”

The agreement also includes a three-month supply of spectacles, frames, lenses, laboratory manufacturing and courier support for the clinics. In addition, the Foundation will provide entrepreneurship training for student optometrists, assist with inventory management systems, and support product procurement during the first three months of operation.

“Africa has the highest unmet need for refractive eye care services in the world, with nearly 70% of people lacking adequate access to eye examinations and spectacles,” said Professor Kovin Naidoo, Global Head: Advocacy and Partnerships at the OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation and Honorary Professor of Optometry at UKZN.

“What we are seeing here today is innovation in action – academia stepping into the public health space to help solve real community challenges,” said Naidoo.

“We do not believe in charity; we believe in empowerment. Through innovation and collaboration, we can create sustainable eye care solutions that transform lives,” he added.

Words: MaryAnn Francis

Photographs: Tisetso Nhlapo