The Fred Hollows Foundation’s Eye Care and Blindness Prevention programme in Kenya has reached more than 1.8 million people since it kicked off its operations in the country 20 years ago.
Under the programme, FHF has supported over 100,000 cataract surgeries, and improved access to eyeglasses and essential eye health services across Kenya.
The programme is a product of the Foundation’s partnership in Kenya with support from the Australian Government.
This week, Kenya and Australia are marking 20 years of partnership in eye health. On Tuesday evening, at a forum in Nairobi to take stock of the milestones achieved, speakers attributed the expanded access to eye care services and prevention of avoidable blindness across the country to the collaboration.
“Behind these figures are real improvements in people’s lives-children learning more effectively in classrooms, adults returning to work and livelihoods, and older persons regaining independence and dignity,” Australian High Commissioner, Jenny Da Rin said.
She pointed out that over the past 20 years; the partnership has expanded access to eye care and has been life-changing for thousands of people across Kenya.
According to her, there’s positive impact of the partnership and the collaboration with county governments.
“Today marks a significant milestone-more than 20 years of partnership between Australia, The Fred Hollows Foundation, and the Government of Kenya in supporting and advancing eye health,” she said, noting that the collaboration reflects the strength of partnership between governments, counties, communities, and dynamic development partners all with the aim of equitable access to quality health care.
Around the world, eye health is a critical but often under-recognised component of health systems, with far-reaching implications for education, productivity, and quality of life.
The ability to see clearly, Da Rin said, shapes how children learn, how adults participate in the economy, and how older persons maintain independence and dignity.
The Ministry of Health in its 2024 Rapid Assessment of Avoidable Blindness highlighted that preventable conditions such as cataract, uncorrected refractive error, glaucoma, and trachoma continue to affect many people across Kenya, particularly in underserved communities.
Speaking ahead of the event, Health Cabinet Secretary, Aden Duale, said eye health remains a critical but often underserved area within the health system.
“An estimated 15.5 percent of Kenyans have eye conditions that require eye care services, yet many still lack access to quality treatment. Through our partnership with the Australian Government and The Fred Hollows Foundation, we have been able to strengthen eye health services and reach more communities, particularly in underserved areas. This work directly supports our UHC agenda,” he said.
Australian support for eye health in Kenya has spanned system strengthening, workforce development, community outreach, and screening programmes for conditions such as cataract, trachoma, refractive error and diabetic retinopathy-leading causes of avoidable blindness.
Australian High Commission Chargé d’Affaires, Chris Ellinger echoed these sentiments, noting that Australian NGOs have been building partnerships in Kenya for decades, and between them currently have tens of millions of dollars invested in a range of impactful programs.
“So, our story is a story of partnership. For more than two decades, The Fred Hollows Foundation- an organisation founded in Australia-has worked alongside the Government of Kenya, county governments-in particular West Pokot and Embu counties – as well as health workers, and communities to work in partnerships on these challenges and to help expand access to quality eye care,” he said.
He noted that despite important progress, key challenges continue to include cost of services, workforce shortages, delayed care-seeking, and gaps in equipment and service delivery at the county level.
The Fred Hollows Foundation truly is a global leader in this space. It now works in more than 25 countries and has restored sight to over three million people worldwide. This couldn’t have been achieved without the support of the Australian public.
The Ministry’s Value of Vision Report (2025) underscores the broader impact of investment in eye health, with significant returns not only in health outcomes, but also in economic participation and social inclusion.
This reinforces the importance of eye health as both a development and economic priority, he noted.
However, Ellinger is apprehensive that while the achievements are significant, important work remains.
“Continued investment is needed to strengthen workforce capacity, expand service delivery, and reach underserved populations,” said during the event, which was also a kind of curtain-raiser for a three-day conference on eye health, currently underway in Nairobi. It draws 500 delegates from across the globe.
The partnership, supported through the Australian Government’s aid program and implemented by The Fred Hollows Foundation, has focused on improving access to quality eye care, strengthening health systems, and supporting Kenya’s progress toward Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
Ross Piper, Chief Executive Officer of The Fred Hollows Foundation, said the partnership with the Government of Kenya has shown what long-term collaboration can achieve:
“Kenya’s progress in eye health demonstrates the impact of sustained investment, strong government leadership, and partnerships that put people at the centre. Preventable blindness can be addressed, and the past 20 years show what is possible when countries work together.”
County governments have played a key role in translating national policy into services on the ground, as articulated by the Governor of Embu County, Cecily Mbarire.
“This partnership has supported counties to integrate eye care into primary health services and reach the most vulnerable. It is a model of how national and county governments, working with partners, can deliver lasting health outcomes,” she said through a representative.
Through the partnership, West Pokot has been able to successfully eliminate trachoma as a major public health threat seeing the prevalence go below World Health Organization (WHO) thresholds.
Governor Simon Kachapin who attended the celebrations to mark the 20-year milestone revealed that the region achieved this milestone through extensive screening, thousands of corrective surgeries, and mass drug administration campaigns.
He attributed the significant reduction in the disease to a multi-pronged approach often referred to as the SAFE strategy, which stands for surgery, antibiotics administration, facial cleanliness and environmental improvements.
Overall, it means correcting the advanced, blinding stage of the disease where the eyelashes turn inward and rub against the eyeball.
Kachapin said over 6,000 successful surgeries have been performed to treat trachomatous trichiasis (the painful, blinding stage of the infection).
“I thank The Fred Hollows Foundation for over a decade of support that has brought eye health services to our people, including those in remote areas. As a county government, we commit to strengthening investment in eye health workforce development and infrastructure and ensuring the sustainability of the new optical shop at our referral hospital with the Foundation’s support,” he said.
Globally, at least 2.2 billion people live with vision impairment, nearly half of which could have been prevented or remains unaddressed. In Kenya, increased investment in eye health is seen as critical to improving quality of life, productivity, and inclusion.
The eye health partnership between Australia and Kenya will continue to focus on strengthening health systems, prioritising prevention, and ensuring that eye care services are accessible and affordable for all.
