Since the beginning of 2025, over 600 Cameroonians have benefited from free eye consultations through a pioneering partnership between UBA and Acha Eye Hospital.
This initiative aims to provide 1,500 annual consultations across Yaoundé, Douala, and Bamenda, offering critical eye care to disadvantaged communities.
The UBA-Acha Eye Hospital collaboration is already surpassing expectations.
“If this continues, we will exceed the targets set at the beginning of the year,” confirmed the pan-African bank.
The initiative focuses on early detection of eye diseases, which often develop silently, such as glaucoma and cataracts, conditions that can cause irreversible blindness if left untreated.
UBA has stepped in to remove financial and logistical barriers that prevent many Cameroonians from accessing ophthalmic care. By supporting free screenings, the bank is making eye health services more accessible to vulnerable populations.
Acha Eye Hospital prioritises prevention over cure. Coordinator Aweh Tchounda Fandio explains: “Most of our patients do not suffer from serious pathologies, but rather from refractive errors, which can often be corrected simply with a pair of glasses.”
Patients receive comprehensive eye exams assessing both the front and back of the eye, enabling early diagnosis of potentially blinding diseases.
“At the end of the day, we make sure that we haven’t missed any cases of glaucoma or suspected cases, because blindness linked to this disease is irreversible,” Fandio stresses.
UBA’s involvement extends beyond funding, providing reception areas at its branches and backing awareness campaigns through field teams visiting targeted neighbourhoods.
This corporate social responsibility initiative highlights how private sector engagement can bolster public health efforts while fostering closer community ties.
As this campaign gathers momentum, questions remain: could this model permanently transform access to eye care in Cameroon, changing the lives of thousands? The early signs suggest a promising future for vision health in the country.
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