Mbarara University School of Medicine Ophthalmology Department
Background
Welcome to the web page of the Department of Ophthalmology.
The Department of Ophthalmology started at the end of 1993 with the arrival of Dr. Amos Twinamasiko as the first lecturer, and teaching ophthalmology to undergraduate medical students during their rotation through the department in their 4th year. Faculty has gradually increased to four full time and 5 part time/visiting lecturers and professors. The main focus is on training ophthalmology residents. The residency program has been running since 2003. So far 9 ophthalmologists have graduated: 5 Ugandans, 1 Rwandese,3 Congolese. Currently there are 3 trainees in residence: one Ugandan, one Rwandese and one SierraLeonean. Applications are being received for the August 2014 intake. We have now embarked on a drive to develop sub-specialties in ophthalmology.
Eye care services have been delivered in partnership with Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital in two small rooms and through outreach services mainly to Ntungamo district.
Growth of teaching, research and clinical work of the department has for a long time been hampered by lack of infrastructure and inadequate numbers of faculty. The former has been greatly boosted by the recent completion the Mbarara University & Referral Hospital Eye Centre (MURHEC), a fully fledged eye unit with facilities for teaching, research and clinical care, which include a seminar room, wet lab,library/computer room networked to all service areas, outpatients, ward, operating theatre, and some offices for staff.
We gratefully acknowledge the support of Ruharo Eye Centre of Ankole Diocese which has availed their staff and facilities for our training programs right from the beginning. We are also very grateful to the European Union, Sightsavers and Light for the World for donating the new eye unit, and to College of Ophthalmology of Eastern, Central & Southern Africa (COECSA) for inspiration and coordinating the aid. Thanks are also due to the Latter Day Saints Church of USA for donating major equipment. The support of MUST management through provision of land for the eye unit, constant encouragement, technical support in construction supervision is greatly appreciated, as well as the willingness of MRRH management to cooperate with the university in the running of the new eye unit.
We look to the future with optimism that we shall be able to achieve our vision of being “A centre of excellence producing ophthalmologists and sub-specialists for research and eye care services”. As a young department we shall continue to need the support of our university’s and faculty’s administration, Ministry of Health and other stakeholders in eye care. We hope to continue the partnerships that we have already started through COECSA and look forward to many more partnerships.
Activities
• Residency program leading to Master of Medicine in Ophthalmology
• Undergraduate ophthalmology course
• Clinical services (outpatients, inpatients, surgery)
• Community outreach
• Research (Childhood blindness, Quality of Cataract Surgical Services, Diabetic eye complications, Ocular surface tumors, Ophthalmic education, Fundus imaging using smart phones)
Collaborators
College of Ophthalmology of Eastern, Central & Southern Africa (COECSA)
University Hospitals Bristol NHS Trust
Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary
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