T
he MoU was signed to implement a collaborative project that focuses on Strengthening Eye Health Services for Comprehensive and Inclusive Care in Ethiopia. The agreement was signed on 30 September 2025 by Dr. Tesfaye Lemma, President of Wollega University, and Mr.Mesfin Tadesse (Cluster Director for Ethiopia, Eritrea and Rwandaa) representative of The Fred Hollows Foundation.
The project aims to expand access by rural communities to eye health services, conduct cataract surgery, and provide school-based eye health programs including refractive error screening and eyeglass distribution. In addition, the project will enhance traffic safety measures to protect individuals with visual impairments and ensure the safety of all road users, and reinforce national and regional eye health leadership.
The Fred Hollows Foundation and Wollega University Comprehensive Specialized Hospital will implement the project in collaboration with East Wollega, West Wollega, Kelem Wollega, and Horo Guduru Wollega Zones. It will provide eye care screening for 86,515 individuals, cataract surgeries for 5,947 patients, and corrective eyeglasses for 892 postoperative cases across the four Wollega Zones. In addition, the project will promote health-seeking behavior, strengthen monitoring, improve data management, and enhance the use of health data for decision-making. The implementation period is from 1 July 2025 to 30 April 2026.