Eye Corps Chief Executive Officer Susan Macdonald, who is also an ophthalmic surgeon, gives instructions to trainee ophthalmologists and sub-specialist eye doctors during a mentorship training session. PHOTO | HARRIETH MAKWETTA
Eye Corps Chief Executive Officer Dr Susan Macdonald said Tanzania has increased the number of ophthalmology trainees but still faces a shortage of qualified mentors.
Dar es Salaam. Eye health specialists have identified mentorship programmes for trainee ophthalmologists as an important step in reducing cases of cataracts and blindness in Tanzania.
The experts said cataracts remain the leading eye condition in the country, with cases increasingly affecting younger people compared to previous years when the disease was mostly associated with old age.
The remarks were made during a mentorship training programme for ophthalmology residents organised by Eye Corps (IOP), bringing together local and international specialists to strengthen practical skills among trainee doctors.
Eye Corps Chief Executive Officer Dr Susan Macdonald said Tanzania has increased the number of ophthalmology trainees, but still faces a shortage of qualified mentors to provide practical surgical training.
She said the number of trainees has risen from six to about 20 annually in programmes lasting three to four years.
“The government has increased the number of specialist eye doctors in training, but the challenge is who will train them. We do not have enough mentors,” she said.
Dr Macdonald said Eye Corps, in partnership with the Ministry of Health, has been conducting outreach camps in areas with limited access to eye specialists while also training residents through practical experience.
Retina specialist at CCBRT Hospital, Dr Mustafa Yusufali, said mentorship is important because training institutions cannot provide enough hands-on experience for all students.
“Medical schools are few and students are many, so mentorship helps improve practical skills,” he said.
He added that new technology used during training enables students to observe surgical procedures more closely and improve their understanding.
Dr Yusufali said cataracts are increasingly being diagnosed among younger age groups, adding that lifestyle factors such as nutrition and technology use could be contributing to the trend.
Retina specialist at KCMC, Dr Maria Kissanga, said mentorship programmes expose trainees to a wider range of eye conditions and surgical procedures.
She cited a recent outreach camp in Mbeya where nearly 170 patients received treatment and surgery while six residents underwent practical training.
Meanwhile, Eye Corps Tanzania Director of Training Dr Dennis Nachipyangu said the organisation has been working with the Ministry of Health since 2018 to improve access to eye care services in rural areas.
“We want doctors in rural areas to provide services at the same standard as those in urban centres,” he said.
