Child Eye Specialist in Burkina Faso Deals with Traumas Arising from Both Play and Conflict
In Burkina Faso, a West African nation with a population of approximately 23 million people, accessing timely and effective pediatric ophthalmology care remains a significant challenge, particularly for those residing in rural areas.
Approximately 70% of the trauma cases in children treated at hospitals originate from rural areas, where the risk of exposure is higher. However, the concentration of ophthalmologists is primarily in major cities such as Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dioulasso, making access difficult for rural families. Dr. Claudette Yaméogo, Burkina Faso's only pediatric ophthalmologist, is treating cases like that of Isaka Diallo, a child from a rural area who suffered an eye injury due to a stone. Diallo's family had to travel 40 kilometers (21 miles) and spend 7,500 francs ($13) to reach Yaméogo's hospital.
The challenges are primarily geographic remoteness, financial barriers, and scarcity of specialized pediatric eye care in rural areas, compounded by displacement and lack of awareness. Many families in Burkina Faso face challenges in accessing ophthalmology care due to their rural location and the concentration of ophthalmologists in major cities. Although the government covers the cost of medications and care for children under five, hospitals often lack necessary drugs, forcing families to purchase medicines independently, posing a financial burden.
In 2024, more than 2,000 ophthalmology procedures were performed in the western Hauts-Bassins region, but only 52 were carried out in rural areas. This imbalance highlights the need for improved access to care in rural communities.
Yaméogo's work has a positive impact on training future pediatricians and improving the quality of ophthalmology services in Burkina Faso. She often encounters cases where children associate objects with the wrong images, suggesting vision problems. In such cases, she provides care at no cost to families who cannot afford it.
Organizations like Light for the World collaborate with Burkina Faso's government and partners to expand comprehensive, inclusive, and resilient eye health services throughout the country. This includes boosting the skills of medical personnel and ensuring quality care is available beyond urban centers.
Solutions focus on expanding local eye care capacity, inclusive education, economic support, and multi-sector partnerships to enable timely and equitable access to pediatric ophthalmology care across Burkina Faso's rural regions. Projects such as “1,2,3 I can see!” aim to identify children with eye health issues early and include them in education without discrimination, thereby improving both health outcomes and social inclusion.
Efforts to increase public knowledge about pediatric ophthalmology and available services help encourage earlier care-seeking behavior, potentially reducing trauma-related eye diseases in children. Joint programs between government health and education sectors, NGOs, and community stakeholders work to develop infrastructure and policies that support equitable eye care access throughout Burkina Faso.
Despite these challenges, progress is being made in improving pediatric ophthalmology care in rural Burkina Faso. With continued efforts and support, it is hoped that more children like Isaka Diallo will have access to the care they need to preserve their vision and maintain a healthy future.
- Despite the challenges of geographic remoteness, financial barriers, and scarcity of specialized pediatric eye care in rural areas, Dr. Claudette Yaméogo, Burkina Faso's only pediatric ophthalmologist, is making a difference by providing care to children like Isaka Diallo.
- In 2024, more than 2,000 ophthalmology procedures were performed in urban areas, but only 52 were carried out in rural areas, highlighting the need for improved access to care in remote communities.
- Organizations like Light for the World are collaborating with Burkina Faso's government and partners to expand comprehensive eye health services across the country, ensuring quality care becomes available beyond urban centers.
- Solutions to improve pediatric ophthalmology care in rural Burkina Faso focus on expanding local eye care capacity, inclusive education, economic support, and multi-sector partnerships to enable timely and equitable access.
- Efforts to increase public knowledge about pediatric ophthalmology and available services and cooperation between government health and education sectors, NGOs, and community stakeholders aim to develop infrastructure and policies that support equitable eye care access throughout Burkina Faso, potentially reducing trauma-related eye diseases in children.
