HCP Cureblindness Performs First Tissue Transplant in Eritrea

HCP Cureblindness announced the successful completion of the first tissue transplant in the eastern African country of Eritrea. HCP-volunteer surgeons performed four cornea transplants, restoring sight to patients previously bilaterally blind. The transplants occurred at a recent high-volume surgical outreach held in partnership with Berhane Ayny Eye Hospital in Eritrea’s capital city of Asmara. In addition to the transplants, doctors completed more than 1100 sight-restoring cataract surgeries.  

“After cataracts, corneal blindness is the second most common reason that people are blind in Eritrea. When the cornea becomes opacified (typically from infection or inflammation), the only way to restore sight is a corneal transplant procedure,” said Dr. Matt Oliva, who sits on the HCP Board and was part of the Eritrean transplant team.  

The four patients received donated corneas from the United States. Very few countries in Africa have access to corneal donations due to lack of eye banking services and not having an established culture of donation of organs. HCP is working directly with the Ministry of Health (MOH) in Eritrea to facilitate future transplants and cataract surgeries.

HCP’s approach to eye care focuses on building local capacity, ensuring quality infrastructure and equipment are available, enabling patient care, and aiding effective prevention. HCP provides training and equipment to healthcare professionals, who then go on to provide eye care services in their own communities. This action-based approach aims to build local leadership, empower key actors, and develop sustainable practices from the ground up. 

HCP was founded in 1995 in Nepal and today works in 25 countries across South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. HCP first came to Eritrea in 2019.