Read more below from Robert Ntitima on the achievements of the College of Ophthalmology of Eastern Central and Southern Africa (COECSA) and partnership with the Ophthalmology Foundation from September 2026:
Mission, Membership, and Role in Ophthalmology
For readers who may be unfamiliar with your organization, could you tell us about its mission, the countries or regions it serves, and its role in supporting ophthalmology education, training, and professional development?
The College of Ophthalmology of Eastern Central and Southern Africa (COECSA) is a specialised virtual College established in 2012 following the voluntary merger of the Eastern Africa College of Ophthalmologists and the Ophthalmological Society of Eastern Africa.
Our primary focus is the Eastern, Central and Southern Africa (ECSA) region, currently comprising 12 countries: Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Malawi, Ethiopia, Zambia, South Sudan, Zimbabwe, Somalia and Mozambique.
Our core mandate is to address the shortage of ophthalmologists in the region while contributing to the improvement of the quality of eye care services. Education and training are central to this mandate. We support postgraduate ophthalmology training at residency and subspecialty levels, facilitate continuing professional development, and provide a platform through which ophthalmic professionals can exchange knowledge and skills.
As a virtual regional College, we work closely with accredited institutions across the region rather than concentrating training in a single location. This allows ophthalmologists to access high-quality training closer to home while strengthening national and regional eye-care systems.
Membership and Reach
Approximately how many members, trainees, or affiliated ophthalmologists are currently involved with your organization, and how has this grown in recent years?
COECSA has continued to grow its professional community alongside the expansion of ophthalmology training in the region. We currently have 407 Fellows and more than 150 non-Fellow members.
The most recent Fellowship admission brought in 45 new Fellows, the largest annual Fellowship admission in the College’s history. This reflects the increasing capacity of COECSA-accredited training institutions and the growing demand for structured postgraduate ophthalmology training within the region.
Our reach extends beyond membership numbers. Through our accredited training institutions, examinations, scientific journal, annual congress and continuing professional development activities, COECSA engages ophthalmologists and trainees across the ECSA region, and internationally.
Key Achievements
Looking back over the past five to six years, what achievements are you most proud of as an organization?
One of our most significant achievements has been the continued expansion and strengthening of postgraduate ophthalmology training across the region.
COECSA currently offers a four-year minimum Residency Training Programme as well as superspecialty fellowships in Glaucoma, Vitreo-Retina, Paediatric and Strabismus, Cornea and Anterior Segment, and Ophthalmic Plastics and Reconstructive Surgery.
The growth of our accredited training network has also been important. Institutions in countries including Rwanda, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia are contributing to the regional training ecosystem.
Another major milestone was the August 2025 Fellowship Exit Examination in Addis Ababa, where 56 eligible candidates were admitted, compared with the standard 28 candidates per sitting. Following the examinations, 45 new Fellows graduated at the 12th COECSA Annual Scientific Congress—the largest Fellowship graduation cohort in the College’s history.
A further landmark was the development of our own Written Examinations in 2023, which has made the COECSA qualification a complete pathway for one to become an Ophthalmologist. This was further strengthened by the inaugural Joint COECSA/Ophthalmology Foundation Written Examinations in March 2026. A total of 136 candidates sat the Visual Sciences and Optics & Instruments examinations. This represents an important step in harmonizing ophthalmic assessment standards and strengthening the international recognition of postgraduate ophthalmology education in the region.
Reputation and Impact
Your organization is widely recognized within the ophthalmology community. What factors have contributed to its reputation, growth, and success?
COECSA’s development has been built around a commitment to regional collaboration, standardization and quality in ophthalmology education. Our accreditation framework, standardized curricula, examinations and continuing professional development activities provide a common platform for training and professional growth across diverse settings.
Our annual scientific congress and Journal of the College of Ophthalmology of Eastern, Central and Southern Africa (JOECSA) also contribute to this regional professional community.
JOECSA is a peer-reviewed quarterly scientific journal with more than 500 active subscribers, while the Annual Scientific Congress attracts more than 600 delegates from over 30 countries globally.
Ultimately, our impact is closely connected to our ability to bring together institutions, educators, trainees and practicing ophthalmologists around shared educational and professional standards.
Innovation and Digital Transformation
Many professional organizations have embraced digital transformation, including online education, virtual events, digital assessments, and simulation-based training. What impact has this had on your members and educational programs?
The virtual nature of COECSA has enabled the College to connect ophthalmology professionals and training institutions across a geographically large and diverse region. Rather than requiring all educational activity to be concentrated in one physical location, our model supports regional collaboration and access to educational resources across national borders.
Digital platforms including our virtual Examinations Platform, The Online Curriculum, Our Digital Repository and Journal, are particularly valuable for continuing professional development, knowledge exchange and coordination among training programmes. They also complement our work with accredited institutions, allowing us to maintain a regional framework while training continues to take place within local clinical environments.
The experience of operating as a virtual College has therefore reinforced the importance of using technology to extend educational reach while maintaining appropriate standards and quality assurance. Currently, we are in the process of developing an integrated, one-stop College Education Resource Portal (COEDREP) that will further enhance our digital transformation as a college.
Maintaining Educational Standards
Maintaining high educational and professional standards across different institutions and regions can be challenging. How does your organization ensure consistency and quality in training, education, and professional development?
Quality assurance is embedded in COECSA’s training and accreditation framework. We work with accredited training institutions and use standardized curricula, assessments and supporting training tools to promote consistency across programmes.
The Education and Accreditation Committee is responsible for the Fellowship examination, accreditation and supervision of training centres, as well as the Train the Trainers programme. The Senate provides academic leadership by setting, regulating and overseeing COECSA’s academic policies and standards.
This combination of accreditation, curriculum, assessment, supervision and academic oversight allows us to support consistency while recognizing the different clinical environments in which training takes place across the region.
التطوير المهني المستمر
Beyond formal ophthalmology training, continuing professional development is essential for keeping ophthalmologists up to date with advances in the field. How does your organization support ongoing learning and professional development among ophthalmologists in your region?
COECSA is committed to promoting lifelong learning and continuous professional development among ophthalmologists across the region. The College supports ongoing learning through a range of initiatives designed to strengthen professional competencies, facilitate knowledge exchange, and ensure that ophthalmologists remain abreast of advances in the field.
Through its Business, Membership and Professional Support Standing Committee, COECSA provides leadership in the development and coordination of membership-based CPD programmes. The Committee also guides the development of an online CPD system and the awarding of CPD points, working in collaboration with Country Chapter Presidents to support professional development at national level.
In partnership with its Country Chapters, COECSA also facilitates periodic Continuing Medical Education (CME) workshops, providing opportunities for ophthalmologists to update their knowledge, enhance clinical skills, and engage with emerging developments in ophthalmic practice.
Furthermore, the College promotes professional exchange programmes that enable ophthalmologists to share experiences, learn from one another, and benefit from exposure to different clinical and educational environments. The annual COECSA Congress serves as a key regional platform for knowledge exchange, scientific discussion, networking, and the dissemination of new research and innovations in ophthalmology.
Through its Train-the-Trainers programme, COECSA also strengthens the capacity of ophthalmic educators to deliver high-quality, standardised ophthalmology education. By investing in educators, the College contributes to the continuous development of both current and future generations of ophthalmologists across the region.
Collectively, these initiatives reflect COECSA’s commitment to fostering a culture of lifelong learning, professional excellence, and continuous improvement in ophthalmic care across Eastern, Central and Southern Africa.
Partnership with the Ophthalmology Foundation
Could you describe your organization’s relationship with the Ophthalmology Foundation and what you see as the key benefits of this collaboration for trainees, educators, institutions, and patients?
Our partnership with the Ophthalmology Foundation has reached an important milestone through the introduction of the Joint COECSA/Ophthalmology Foundation Written Examinations. In March 2026, the inaugural joint examinations covered Basic/Visual Sciences and Optics, Refraction and Instruments examination. A total of 136 examinations were administered.
For us, the collaboration provides an opportunity to harmonize assessment standards while strengthening the quality and international recognition of postgraduate ophthalmology education in the region. It also creates a stronger connection between regional training programmes and internationally recognized educational standards. Most importantly, the ultimate beneficiaries are trainees, educators, institutions and, through better-trained ophthalmologists, the patients and communities they serve.
Future collaboration
Looking ahead, how do you envision your organization and the Ophthalmology Foundation working together to further strengthen ophthalmology education, training standards, research, and professional development?
We see considerable potential for COECSA and the Ophthalmology Foundation to deepen collaboration around examinations, education, curriculum development, professional development and quality assurance.
The successful inaugural joint examinations provide a foundation on which we can build. Going forward, collaboration can help strengthen assessment systems, support educators and trainers, facilitate knowledge exchange and contribute to the continuous improvement of ophthalmology training in the region.
Our shared objective is to strengthen the pathway from postgraduate education to competent specialist practice and ultimately contribute to better eye-care services across COECSA.
Vision for the next 5–10 years
What is your vision for the future of ophthalmology education, training, and patient care in your region over the next five to ten years?
Our vision is to see a stronger, more self-sustaining ophthalmology workforce across Eastern, Central and Southern Africa, supported by high-quality training programmes and consistent educational standards.
We want to continue expanding access to residency and superspecialty training while strengthening the capacity of accredited institutions. Training closer to home is important because it helps build national eye-care systems and reduces dependence on training outside the region.
We also see continued opportunities to strengthen examinations, research, continuing professional development and professional collaboration.
Ultimately, our goal is to contribute to a sustainable pipeline of highly skilled ophthalmologists who can respond to the growing burden of blindness and visual impairment in the region.
The Role of OF Examinations
How have the OF examinations supported trainees and ophthalmologists in your region, and what impact do you believe internationally recognized examinations have on educational standards and professional development?
The joint COECSA/Ophthalmology Foundation examinations represent an important development in ophthalmology education within the region.
Internationally recognized examinations provide a common benchmark for knowledge and competence while supporting consistency across different training environments. For trainees, they provide a structured assessment pathway; for educators and institutions, they reinforce the importance of maintaining appropriate educational standards, which is line with COECSA’s mission and vision.
Challenges Facing Ophthalmology Trainees
What do you see as the biggest challenges currently facing ophthalmology trainees in your region, and how is your organization helping to address these challenges?
One of the underlying challenges in the region is the shortage of ophthalmologists and the corresponding need to expand access to quality postgraduate training.
There are also differences in the availability of training infrastructure, subspecialty expertise and educational resources across countries. COECSA’s regional model seeks to address these challenges by working with accredited institutions, developing standardized curricula and expanding superspecialty training opportunities.
Our approach is therefore not simply to increase the number of trainees, but to strengthen the systems that support high-quality training including accreditation, supervision, assessment, faculty development and continuing professional development.
The Value of Internationally Recognized Examinations
What role do internationally recognized ophthalmology examinations play in supporting training standards, career progression, professional development, and the delivery of high-quality patient care within your region?
For COECSA which operates in different settings and environments, internationally recognized examinations contribute to a shared understanding of the knowledge and competencies expected of ophthalmologists. They also support quality assurance across different training environments, and provide trainees with a structured pathway for demonstrating their professional development.
The joint COECSA/Ophthalmology Foundation examinations are an example of how regional and international collaboration can strengthen assessment systems. For COECSA, the objective is to combine regional relevance with robust educational standards, helping ensure that graduates are prepared for specialist practice and able to contribute effectively to eye-care services in their communities.
How Can Readers Get Involved?
Readers interested in COECSA can engage with the College through its educational programmes, examinations, scientific activities, professional membership and regional initiatives. Our work includes postgraduate residency and superspecialty training, examinations, continuing professional development, research and scientific communication through JOECSA, as well as the Annual Scientific Congress.
To find out more, contact the COECSA Secretariate: info@coecsa.org.
Visit the COECSA website
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