By Mohammad Abdulaziz KHARTOUM, Nov 3 (KUNA) -- The blindness crisis in Sudan has worsened since the outbreak of war, which destroyed medical facilities and halted treatment campaigns, with estimates warning of rising cases from 10 to 30 percent within a short period, according to local medical institutions.
Director of the National Program for Ophthalmology at the Sudanese Ministry of Health, Dr. Atef Omar, told Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) that field estimates indicate rising blindness rates despite the absence of precise statistics, adding that "the situation is dire, yet the ophthalmology infrastructure remains capable of recovery if adequate support is provided." He added that the ministry launched an emergency plan at the start of the conflict to secure essentials, and is seeking cooperation with private institutions.
Director of Makkah Hospital in Omdurman and representative of Al-Basar Charity Foundation in Khartoum, Dr. Amir Abu Qurun, told KUNA that field data confirm blindness rates have tripled to 30 percent in two years due to halted services, displacement, migration of staff, and shortage of medical supplies.
Similarly, Director of Programs and Partnerships at Kuwait Patients' Helping Fund Society, Dr. Mohammad Hajo, told KUNA that the rise in blindness results from the suspension of preventive care, halted cataract surgeries, and shortages of essential medicines. He noted that "these figures represent thousands who could have been saved from blindness if resources were available." Medical data indicate that cataract remains the most common cause of treatable blindness in Sudan, accounting for about 70 percent of cases, though it is surgically curable when resources and infrastructure are available.
Trachoma, an infection linked to poverty and poor hygiene, remains a contributing factor, though its prevalence has significantly declined in many countries due to prevention and eradication programs.
Glaucoma, meanwhile, is among the leading causes of irreversible blindness in Sudan, attributed to lack of early detection and weak public awareness.
Even before the war, Sudan's vision loss indicators were alarming. In 2020, the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness' "Vision Atlas" estimated about three million Sudanese suffered from visual impairment, including 210,000 who were completely blind, placing Sudan among Africa's highest in blindness rates.
These figures reveal a stark gap between Sudan's situation and global blindness reduction efforts, as the World Health Organization (WHO) notes that 90 percent of visually impaired people live in low and middle-income countries, making Sudan a clear example of the intersection of poverty, conflict, and health collapse.
Sudan's health system had relied heavily on external support, with NGOs performing 56 percent of cataract surgeries before the war, compared to 36 percent by government institutions and only eight percent by the private sector.
Abu Qurun noted that Makkah Eye Foundation, since its establishment in 1993, has served more than 1.8 million patients; about 65 percent of national anti-blindness efforts, and through its hospital network continues intensive programs treating 4,000 patients.
This underscores the fragility of Sudan's health infrastructure before the war, explaining the rapid deterioration of services after the conflict and loss of international aid.
According to the WHO, the war has disrupted over 70 percent of hospitals in Sudan and halted about 45 percent of primary healthcare centers, leading to a near paralysis of medical services nationwide.
Abu Qurun added that despite the devastation, medical teams partially reopened Omdurman Hospital in September 2024 after restoring buildings, repairing equipment, and recruiting staff, providing services to 89,000 patients.
Dr. Hajo stressed that early detection and field awareness are key to containing cataract and glaucoma, calling for urgent support in medicines, rehabilitation, training, and community outreach.
Abu Qurun emphasized that international, regional, and local support is vital to preserve remaining blindness-prevention services, praising the continued efforts of Kuwait's Direct Aid Society and Saudi Arabia's King Salman Relief Center for sustaining efforts despite the war.
Humanitarian experts warn that Sudan's vision-loss crisis has evolved from a health issue into a deep developmental challenge, as blindness worsens poverty, isolation, and livelihoods. Expert Madani Abbas told KUNA that "blindness in Sudan is no longer a health issue alone, but a developmental crisis affecting livelihoods and social stability." He explained that vision loss turns breadwinners into dependents and weakens the workforce in an exhausted society, calling for urgent intervention.
"Without immediate action," he concluded, "an entire generation may be lost to preventable diseases, blindness today is a direct outcome of war and resource collapse." (end) ma.aai