Orbis Flying Eye Hospital touches down in Rwanda to provide training, education to ECPs

Orbis clinical staff and volunteer faculty consisting of medical experts will teach participants with simulation training, hands-on surgical training and patient care, and workshops that focus on ophthalmic subspecialties. Image credit: Orbis International

Global eye care nonprofit Orbis International has begun a 2-week training project on the Orbis Flying Eye Hospital, where eye care providers in Rwanda will receive hands-on training and education.¹ The training project was invited by Rwanda’s Ministry of Health and is hosted in partnership with the Rwanda International Institute of Ophthalmology (RIIO) and Kibagabaga Hospital, according to a news release.

“I am delighted that Orbis is bringing the Flying Eye Hospital to Rwanda for the first time, not only to extend our mission to this important part of the world, but to support Rwanda's national priorities in eye health," said Ciku Mathenge, PhD, MSc, MMed, MBChB, medical advisor for Orbis in Africa, in the release. "Orbis will collaborate with its long-standing partner, RIIO, on this impactful training project and thus support a residency program that is setting the standard for training the next generation of ophthalmologists in East Africa. Introducing cutting-edge simulation technology and sharing advanced skills from global experts, will empower RIIO's residents and Rwanda's young ophthalmologists to deliver high-quality eye care in their own communities."

This will be the Flying Eye Hospital’s first visit to Rwanda. Since 1982, Orbis has provided training on and off the hospital, with 97 countries receiving in-person training and more than 200 countries and territories receiving virtual programming through Cybersight, Orbis’s telemedicine and e-learning platform. The plane was donated by FedEx, with the project supported by the Alcon Foundation and OMEGA.¹

"At Alcon, we believe everyone deserves the chance to see a brighter future—regardless of where they live or the circumstances they face," said Kerry Dailey, Alcon Cares Board Member, in the release. "By supporting the development of strong, sustainable eye care systems and equipping passionate eye care professionals with the tools and training they need, we're helping to make that vision a reality. That's why we're proud to partner with Orbis in their mission to eliminate avoidable vision loss and bring lasting impact to communities around the world."

"Orbis transforms lives through their Flying Eye Hospital projects, and we're honoured to support their fight against avoidable blindness. Every project they complete creates lasting change in communities worldwide. Our biggest investment lies in helping the world understand what Orbis achieves every day. We're incredibly proud of this partnership and the lives it helps transform," said Raynald Aeschlimann, president and CEO of OMEGA, in the release.

Orbis clinical staff and volunteer faculty consisting of medical experts will teach participants with simulation training, hands-on surgical training and patient care, and workshops that focus on ophthalmic subspecialties including strabismus, cataract, oculoplastics, and medical retina. Training will also help develop skills in anesthesiology, nursing, and biomedical engineering. Simulation training will consist of a select group of participants using virtual reality (VR) for building cataract surgery skills. They will learn how to set up and train on a portable VR tool, one of which Orbis will donate to RIIO. Orbis is also partnering with medical technology company Haag-Streit for further VR simulation training with another group of participants.¹

Orbis began partnering with RIIO almost a decade ago, first in the form of workshops and trainings in local hospitals focused on medical retina and increasing eye care providers in the country. Since 2021, Orbis has partnered with both RIIO and the Rwanda Diabetes Association to address diabetic retinopathy. In part of the collaboration, Orbis equipped 4 diabetes clinics in and around Kigali with technology to support artificial intelligence (AI)-powered screenings.¹

Reference:

1. Orbis International brings the Flying Eye Hospital to Rwanda for the first time to train local eye care teams. News release. PR Newswire. July 21, 2025. Accessed July 21, 2025. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/orbis-international-brings-the-flying-eye-hospital-to-rwanda-for-the-first-time-to-train-local-eye-care-teams-302506939.html