title: Improving eye care in Rwanda.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Visual impairment affects nearly 285 million people worldwide. Although there has been much progress in combating the burden of visual impairment through initiatives such as VISION 2020, barriers to progress, especially in African countries, remain high.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Rwandan Ministry of Health has formed partnerships with several nongovernmental organizations and has worked to integrate their efforts to prevent and treat visual impairment, including presbyopia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rwanda, an eastern African country of approximately 11 million people.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The Rwandan Ministry of Health developed a single national plan that allows key partners in vision care to coordinate more effectively in measuring eye disease, developing eye care infrastructure, building capacity, controlling disease, and delivering and evaluating services.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Collaboration between stakeholders under a single national plan has ensured that resources and efforts are complementary, optimizing the ability to provide eye care. Improved access to primary eye care and insurance coverage has increased demand for services at secondary and tertiary levels. A comprehensive strategy that includes prevention as well as a supply chain for glasses and lenses is needed.
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Health of Rwanda, PO Box 84, Kigali, Rwanda .
authors.forename: Agnes
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Binagwaho
authors.affiliation: Interfaculty Initiative in Health Policy, Harvard University, Boston, United States of America (USA).
authors.forename: Kirstin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.affiliation: Vision for a nation, Kigali, Rwanda .
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rosewall
authors.affiliation: Adlens, Boston, USA .
authors.forename: Graeme
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mackenzie
authors.affiliation: Vision for a nation, Kigali, Rwanda .
authors.forename: Gweneth
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rehnborg
authors.affiliation: Vision for a nation, Kigali, Rwanda .
authors.forename: Sjoerd
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hannema
authors.affiliation: Fred Hollows Foundation, Rosebery, Australia .
authors.forename: Max
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Presente
authors.affiliation: Christoffel Blinden Mission, Bensheim, Germany .
authors.forename: Piet
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Noe
authors.affiliation: Rwanda International Institute of Ophthalmology, Kigali, Rwanda .
authors.forename: Wanjiku
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Mathenge
authors.affiliation: Dr Agarwal's Eye Hospital, Kigali, Rwanda .
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nkurikiye
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Health of Rwanda, PO Box 84, Kigali, Rwanda .
authors.forename: Francois
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Habiyaremye
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Health of Rwanda, PO Box 84, Kigali, Rwanda .
authors.forename: Theophile
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dushime
mesh_terms: D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D007373:Interinstitutional Relations; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D000070516:Intersectoral Collaboration; D012432:Rwanda; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy