Karina Dubois-Nguyen, Director of the Unité de santé internationale (USI), with Prof. Nato, Head of the Clinical Department at CHU IOTA, and Dr. Amassagou Dougnon, Head of Optometry Training at CHU-IOTA, Mali.
Implemented by the Unité de santé internationale (USI) and the School of Optometry of the Université de Montréal (EOUM), the project is primarily funded by Optometry Giving Sight (OGS), with additional occasional financial support. Designed with an interdisciplinary and collaborative approach, it draws on the complementary expertise of the Department of Ophthalmology and the School of Public Health of the Université de Montréal, under the umbrella of the Université de Montréal’s International Visual Health Unit (USVI).
The project specifically targets the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Lebanon, Mali, Togo, and Vietnam. It is part of long-term efforts to create, strengthen, and network optometry training programs. The primary goal is to address urgent visual health needs by improving the local supply of primary care and training. According to the WHO, at least 2.2 billion people worldwide have a near or distance vision impairment. For at least 1 billion of them, the impairment could have been prevented or has yet to be addressed.¹
Through this initiative, USI and EOUM reaffirm their commitment to promote access to quality healthcare and reduce inequalities, notably through the strengthening of local capacities.
Since its launch, several strategic missions have laid solid foundations for collaboration. The diversity of partners involved in each country—universities, foundations, health institutions—reflects the local ownership of this initiative.
• DRC: Luigi Bilotto, International Eye Health Advisor and Clinical Instructor at EOUM, conducted an initial field mission in summer 2024 with the Vi-Zion Foundation and HONU University. This exploratory visit provided a situational analysis, assessed local capacities, and established a joint development strategy. In October 2024, Dr. Annick Mwilambwe, founder of the Vi-Zion Foundation and initiator of the partnership in the DRC, visited EOUM’s facilities. Her visit strengthened her vision of a fully developed School of Optometry and allowed for productive exchanges with stakeholders.
• Mali: In spring 2024, Karina Dubois-Nguyen, Director of USI, visited the African Institute of Tropical Ophthalmology (IOTA) to reinforce existing partnerships and support the development of a master's program in optometry. The initiative aims to raise the quality of education while building the capacity of local trainers.
• Vietnam: Patrick Simard, Clinical Instructor and expert in specialty contact lenses and myopia control at EOUM, visited Hanoi Medical University (HMU) to assess the feasibility of developing a master’s program in optometry and to advocate for the profession to local stakeholders. In April, the Director of HMU met with the leadership of USI and EOUM in Montréal. These two initiatives were respectively supported by the Québec Ministry of International Relations and La Francophonie (MRIF) and UdeM International.
From left to right: Prof. Luigi Bilotto, International Eye Health Advisor and Clinical Instructor at EOUM; Danielle Mugunga, Business Development Manager, Vi-Zion MD Eye Clinic and Foundation; Dr. Annick Mwilambwe, Founder of Vi-Zion MD Eye Clinic and Foundation; Jean Zoza, Rector; and Mr. Roger Ndanu Wanguru, Chief of Staff to the Rector of HONU University in the DRC. Photo credit: Luigi Bilotto.
The project continues to expand with several activities planned at UdeM:
• A visit from a delegation of HONU University to continue and consolidate discussions.
• A visit from a Togolese delegation to explore the development of a new optometry program, following a process similar to that initiated in the DRC.
¹ World Health Organization. Blindness and vision impairment. August 10, 2023. Available at: www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/blindness-and-vision-impairment