We’re thrilled to share that EYElliance’s Frontline Vision pilot with the Ministry of Health in Côte d’Ivoire has officially begun.
The pilot, led by the Ministry of Health’s National Eye Health Program and the Directorate of Community Health and Health Promotion, marks a major step in creating access to reading glasses for rural and remote communities across Côte d’Ivoire through community health workers. For many rural residents, this pilot represents their first-ever access to vision care.
Age-related near-vision loss affects nearly one in three Ivorians aged 40+, or more than 5.4 million people. Reading glasses are among the most cost-effective health interventions, restoring sight instantly and, when delivered by community health workers as part of their regular package of services, ensuring that this life-changing solution reaches even the most remote communities.
The launch brought together administrative and health authorities from across the Poro Region and Korhogo districts, reaffirming government leadership. A working session at the Korhogo Departmental Health Directorate convened the project’s technical committee alongside the Regional and District Health Action Services Managers and the District Head of the Epidemiology Services, laying the groundwork for coordinated implementation of the pilot.
These sessions marked the first step toward integrating vision screenings and delivery of reading glasses into the community health workers’ minimum package of activities, a pivotal milestone under Côte d’Ivoire’s National Strategic Plan for Community Health.
Building Capacity for Lasting Impact
The Côte d’Ivoire team has trained 18 supervising health agents, the critical link in ensuring quality and consistency in the rollout this work.
The 18 health agents trained in Korhogo will guide and support more than 146 community health workers as they conduct basic vision screening, dispense reading glasses, and refer patients with more complex conditions to the appropriate facilities.
This pilot will reach over 42,000 adults aged 40+ across Korhogo Health District, helping an estimated 12,000 people regain clear vision and renewed independence.
Following the supervising health agent’s training, the Côte d’Ivoire team has also completed the first round of community health worker training, officially kicking off community-level service delivery.
Over the coming weeks, the team will extend training to community health workers in 10 additional communities, expanding access to screenings and reading glasses and building the foundation for long-term, government-led integration of eye care into the community health system.
All reading glasses have been supplied through the government’s supply chain, ensuring long-term sustainability and integration within Côte d’Ivoire’s public health system. Community health workers are now equipped to begin vision screenings and deliver glasses where they’re needed most.
This marks another proud step in our shared effort with the Ministry of Health’s National Eye Health Program and the Directorate of Community Health and Health Promotion to create routine, reliable access to reading glasses where there was none before.
Stay tuned for further updates in the weeks to come.
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