Rwanda is hosting the Flying Eye Hospital for the first time, with a two-week treatment and medical training programme officially starting on July 29 at Kigali International Airport. The services will be offered aboard a converted MD-10 aircraft outfitted with an operating theatre, a classroom, and advanced simulation centre. ALSO READ: Transforming eye care in Rwanda: Expert sheds light on country’s plans to improve vision health Led by global non-profit Orbis International in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, the initiative aims to build local capacity in eye care and increase access to quality treatment. The programme is being conducted in partnership with Rwanda International Institute of Ophthalmology (RIIO) and Kibagabaga Hospital. ALSO READ: The evolution of Rwanda’s eye care system Dr. John Nkurikiye, the Chief Ophthalmologist at RIIO, said the programme focuses on strengthening clinical skills among Rwandan professionals. “We are training 30 residents and young ophthalmologists, 16 biomedical engineers, 32 nurses, and 16 anaesthesiologists, with surgeries taking place both on the aircraft and at the base hospital, all provided free of charge,” he said. The patients, pre-screened by RIIO faculty and referred by specialists across the country, are being treated for conditions such as cataracts, childhood eye diseases, strabismus, and severe vision loss requiring visual aids. The initiative includes extensive hands-on training in modern surgical techniques, including cataract removal. Rwandan participants are using advanced simulation tools such as Orbis’s virtual reality (VR) platform, which allows eye care providers to rehearse procedures before operating on patients. German medical device manufacturer Haag-Streit is providing 30 hours of virtual reality surgical training in partnership with Orbis as part of the programme. In order to sustain improvements in eye care delivery, Orbis is donating state-of-the-art ophthalmic equipment to RIIO. The goal is to improve Rwanda’s surgical capacity and support ongoing education for eye health professionals. Rwanda is the 84th country to host the Orbis Flying Eye Hospital since its initiation in 1982.
