Rwanda International Institute of Ophthalmology

The Management, Faculty, Staff and Residents of RIIO and RIIO iHospital stand in solidarity with all Rwandans to mark the 32nd commemoration of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. Today, we remember and honour over a million lives lost.
“Kwibuka twiyubaka: Remember-Unite-Renew”

Today, the Women’s Team of the Military Health Service of the RDF proudly received their official team kit, proudly sponsored by RIIO iHospital. We are honored to be part of this partnership.

Combined COECSA and Ophthalmology Foundation exam day at RIIO.
We wish all the 13 candidates from 4 countries who sat the exam at our centre all the best. COECSA

This week, RIIO residents and faculty, members of the Rwanda Ophthalmology Society (ROS), staff from Kibagabaga Hospital, and colleagues from HCP visited our faculty member, Dr. Cropsey, to offer our condolences following the loss of his mother.

It was a moment of solidarity and remembrance, an opportunity to celebrate the life of his mother and to reflect on how our academic community stands together not only in professional endeavors, but also during meaningful social and personal moments.

During training at RIIO School, our residents had the privilege of learning from a visiting faculty member from Stanford University, Dr. Blake, a specialist in uveitis. Over the course of two weeks, he delivered comprehensive and practical teaching on the diagnosis and management of uveitis.

His sessions were well-structured and highly applicable, guiding us step by step in approaching uveitis cases—particularly in resource-limited settings like ours. This experience greatly enhanced both our understanding and our confidence in managing patients with uveitis.

Big congratulations to Prof. Ciku on being recognized in the Top 10 of the 2026 Power List by The Ophthalmologist! 🎉

This remarkable achievement is a true reflection of your dedication, leadership, and outstanding contributions to eye care and research. Your work continues to inspire many and make a meaningful impact on lives around the world.

Wishing you continued success and even greater milestones ahead! 👏

Our Director Prof Ciku Mathenge attended the Euretina AI meeting in London last week. We asked her about the meeting and this is what she had to say about it:
I rarely get external funding to attend meetings and when you self fund, you have to choose conferences wisely. London for me is always an easy choice and anything with AI makes it even easier. I was encouraged to see that we are on the right track and at par with others in our work on diabetic retinopathy screening using AI in Rwanda which is supported by Orbis International. It was also fantastic to meet old friends at the meeting. Dr Oscar Onyango, VR surgeon Nairobi hospital- we trained at the same school and our parents are neighbours in Nairobi, Prof Tunde Peto- Tunde helped me immensely with my PhD work many years ago as head of the reading centre at Moorfields Eye Hospital. She also introduced me to Michael Abramoff who developed the first FDA approved AI product, thus leading to our first publication on AI many years ago. But one of my happiest moments was meeting Dr Fiston Kitema. Fiston was the class representative of the first class that I taught at University of Rwanda (KHI then) training to be an ophthalmic clinical officer. His brilliance was obvious and when we started a hospital in Kigali, he joined us as our “optometrist”. After a few years Fiston advanced his education with an MSc in Public Healthy and today has a PhD from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. His current work is in AI and I was delighted to chat with him and the team that he works with.

This week, our residents took part in a hands-on course focused on managing ophthalmic emergencies. The training was extremely valuable and strengthened their practical knowledge and clinical skills

RIIO residents and faculty attended the Cataract Symposium at Kabgayi Eye Unit, which brought together eye care professionals from across Rwanda and around the world. The symposium provided a valuable platform to share knowledge, exchange experiences, and learn from senior experts in cataract management. Together, participants reaffirmed a shared commitment to improving the quality of eye care in Rwanda.

This week, we conducted a school screening at Kigali International Community School (KICS), assessing both students and teachers.
Those who required medication, eyewear, or further treatment were provided with guidance on how to access the appropriate care. We celebrate this partner with KICS in prioritizing the eye health and well-being of its community.

More from the week of with Dr Neely and the Orbis team