Global health partnerships in ophthalmology: lessons from the UK-Ugandan global health exchange placement.

Abstract

This article evaluates the outcomes and insights from a collaborative initiative between Moorfields Eye Hospital volunteers, Eye Health Africa and the Ubora Foundation Africa focused on strengthening ophthalmic services in Uganda, particularly at Hoima Regional Referral Hospital. Drawing on comparative insights from National Health Service facilities in the West Midlands (UK), the article reflects on infrastructure limitations; workforce constraints; the collaborative, system-level interventions that must be introduced; and some initial initiatives made possible through the exchange. Emphasis is placed on sustainability, local capacity building and bilateral learning, with implications for replicable models of ophthalmic care development in low-resource settings. Lessons learned reveal the importance of cultural humility, context-specific innovation and long-term investment in human resources for health in the global fight against avoidable blindness and improving patient outcomes while offering a framework for future global eye health partnerships.