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Taking the Evidence to Kampala: OPTOGLOBE Presents ETF Findings at the OAU Conference

Kampala, Uganda — 5 July 2026

OPTOGLOBE, The Global Optometry Student Community, sent a delegation to the Optometrists Association of Uganda (OAU) Conference in Kampala on 5 July 2026 to present findings from its Equipping the Future (ETF) Global Needs Assessment. The delegation was led by Gertrude Nakayiza Noela, Secretary of the ETF Core Committee.

The Evidence Base

The ETF Global Needs Assessment surveyed 358 optometry students across 13 countries on their access to diagnostic instruments. The findings point to a persistent gap between training requirements and equipment access:

  • 69% of respondents own no personal diagnostic equipment
  • 59% report that their school provides no instruments
  • 87% are unaware of any grant scheme that could help close this gap
  • 96% support the creation of one
  • The retinoscope is the single most-requested item

Within this dataset, the Ugandan findings stood out: 0% of surveyed optometry students in Uganda reported owning personal diagnostic instruments. It was this finding that shaped the delegation’s presentation in Kampala.

The Presentation

At the OAU Conference, the delegation presented the ETF data to an audience of practitioners, educators, and student leaders, situating Uganda’s findings within the wider regional and global picture the assessment has built. The presentation drew strong interest and support from attendees, reinforcing instrument access as a shared concern across national optometry communities rather than an isolated issue.

OPTOGLOBE is grateful to Optometry Giving Sight for its continued partnership in advancing this work.

Why It Matters

Instrument access determines what a student can actually practice, and what a future clinician can actually diagnose. A retinoscope or ophthalmoscope withheld by cost is a skill withheld from a generation of practitioners, and a patient somewhere who will wait longer for an accurate diagnosis. The Kampala presentation was not a one-off advocacy stop; it is part of a wider dissemination strategy for the ETF findings, and physical instrument distribution under the initiative is set to launch in August 2026.

The evidence base continues to grow. The live ETF survey data is available at optoglobe.org/etf-live-tracker.

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