The Kabgayi Eye Unit, founded in 1993, emerged from a critical need to address eye diseases, particularly in rural communities in Rwanda.
Established by the Catholic Diocese of Kabgayi in collaboration with Christian Blind Mission and the Ministry of Health, the unit aimed to tackle a neglected health issue just one year before the devastating 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
Initially operating as a small department within Kabgayi Hospital, the Eye Unit faced significant challenges due to limited resources, including a scarcity of health workers and equipment.
At the time, Rwanda had very few eye specialists, which forced the unit to rely heavily on visiting doctors from Europe, local community support, and financial contributions from the Diocese.
Dr. Theophile Tuyisabe, the Director of Kabgayi Eye Unit, recounted the unit’s early struggles.
“Between 2002 and 2008, one foreign doctor would come, stay for a while, and then leave. The hospital was not even able to buy any high-end equipment,” he explained.
A significant breakthrough occurred when the University of Rwanda expanded its medical programs to include training for eye specialists. This initiative marked a turning point, enabling Rwanda to gradually reduce its dependence on foreign doctors.
“I joined the hospital as a permanent staff member in 2016, after years of relying on external doctors. I am proud to say that I have been here for eight years now,” Dr. Tuyisabe said.
“We are witnessing the fruits of our investment in local medical education, and it has made a huge difference in our ability to serve the community.”
Expansion and Partnerships
Despite its humble beginning, the Kabgayi Eye Unit expanded its capacity and services over time, and has become a referral center for eye care, serving patients across Rwanda.
Local and international partners played a big role towards this milestone.
“We are very thankful to local partners who contributed to the success of this facility, and those include the Ministry of Health and Kabgayi Diocese,” Dr. Tuyisabe said.
“Moreover, our international partners marked left a mark on our hearts in this journey. Those include the Light for the World, Christian Blind Mission, and See You Foundation.”
This partnership helped Kabgayi Eye Unit acquire state-of-the-art medical equipment, or came in a format of training for doctors, and funding critical surgeries.
“Eye care treatment materials and their maintenance are costly, but that is where organizations like Light for the World come in. They were very instrumental in helping our health facility to maintain quality services,” Tuyisabe said.
Meanwhile, other partners pay the bill for the patients who are not able to raise the medical cost. In several instances, the partners even fund outreach programs where Kabgayi Eye Unit reach out to patients in their communities. This helps patients to access the same services without worrying about travel expenses.
So far, the Kabgayi Eye Unit has six permanent specialists (ophthalmologists) including five Rwandan nationals and one expatriate.
The unit offers a wide range of high-quality eye care services, including diagnosis; treatment and surgery.
The Kabgayi Eye Unit has now reached a milestone to treat customers with permanent vision impairment, to an extent that they can recover their sight.
A research conducted by the hospital indicates that since its inception in 1993, the unit has performed eye surgeries and restored sight to over 623 underprivileged patients, both Rwandans and foreigners.
More information about Kabgayi Eye Unit services, visit https://www.keu.rw
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