![Patients awaiting eye surgery at Rumbek State Hospital. [Photo by Sudans Post]](https://i0.wp.com/www.sudanspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Eye.webp?resize=1024%2C768&ssl=1)
The initiative, launched at Wau Teaching Hospital on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, restored new hope to thousands suffering from preventable blindness and visual impairment in the region.
In a statement seen by Sudan Post on Friday, The Embassy announced that it is providing funding for the Eye Care Campaign for the third consecutive year.
It said the initiative reflects Germany’s ongoing commitment to enabling access to essential health services in South Sudan.
“This vital campaign also received support from the European Society of Cataract and Refraction Surgeons (ESCRS),” read part of statement.
The Vision impairment and blindness remain urgent public health challenges in South Sudan.
These conditions severely limit access to education, employment, and independence, deepening poverty and social exclusion, especially in rural areas where infrastructure and healthcare services are scarce.
“As a critical intervention, the campaign directly addresses these needs. Through targeted medical outreach, surgical care, and development assistance,” it said.
“The initiative is expected to reach over 3,000 beneficiaries, including 1,200 cataract surgeries.”
It said by restoring sight, the campaign will enable children to return to school, parents to resume work, and individuals to re-engage with their communities, thus ushering in a renewed sense of dignity, productivity, and hope.
Ambassador Gregory Bledjian reaffirmed Germany’s dedication to supporting community-based development.
He highlighted the importance of collaboration between faith-based organisations, international partners, and government institutions in delivering integrated, impactful, and equitable health outcomes.
“Behind each operation, there’s a human story. I believe in an elderly mother who will see her children again, a young man who can work and provide for his family, or maybe a child who will return to school and dream again about the future,” Bledjian said.
“These are very simple but powerful miracles that this campaign will make possible. Therefore, Germany is very proud to support this initiative as part of our longstanding partnership with South Sudan and the health sector.”
He added that “Our commitment is guided by a belief in human dignity and solidarity, values we deeply share with the Catholic Church and the Diocese of Wau.”
Ms. Tatjana Gerber, Health Advisor for the Catholic Diocese of Wau, emphasised the impact of this partnership.
“This campaign is more than a medical intervention – it’s a catalyst for dignity and development. The support from the German Embassy allows us to confront the public health crisis of blindness head-on, transforming lives and empowering communities. We are deeply grateful for this sustained collaboration.”
The German Embassy has partnered with the Catholic Diocese of Wau for the third consecutive year to deliver these essential health services to vulnerable populations.
The Embassy has pledged its commitment to funding the Eye Care Campaign again next year through its Small-Scale Project programme.
The programme has been instrumental in enabling locally led, inclusive, and sustainable initiatives that respond directly to community needs.
This initiative aligns with Germany’s broader development cooperation in South Sudan, which includes support for local governance, rural development, sustainable agriculture, water and sanitation, peacebuilding, gender equality, and the prevention of sexual and gender-based violence.
