Hope for Salone, in partnership with local and international health organizations, is set to provide 3,000 free cataract surgeries across Sierra Leone as part of a campaign aimed at restoring sight to people living with cataract blindness.
The campaign, which will run from October 11 to 22, 2026, will cover Makeni Government Hospital in the Northern Province and Kambia Government Hospital in Kambia District.
Cataracts, locally known as jegay, are a leading cause of blindness in Sierra Leone. The condition causes the eye’s natural lens to become cloudy, resulting in blurred vision and, if left untreated, blindness. However, cataract-related blindness can often be reversed through a relatively short surgical procedure.
For many people affected by the condition, access to treatment remains a major challenge. With only about six ophthalmologists serving a population of nearly nine million people, access to specialized eye care is limited.
The campaign seeks to address this gap by providing free cataract surgery to eligible patients, helping them regain their sight, improve their independence and return to their daily activities.
The organizers have encouraged people experiencing vision problems or suspecting that they have cataracts to visit any government eye clinic for an eye examination ahead of the campaign.
The campaign will take place at the following locations:
– October 11–18, 2026: Makeni Government Hospital, Northern Province.
– October 19–22, 2026: Kambia Government Hospital, Kambia District.
The initiative is being organised by the Seventh-day Adventist Church Sierra Leone and It Is Written, in partnership with the Ministry of Health’s National Eye Health Programme and Hope in Sight.
The organizers are also urging families and communities to identify people living with cataracts and encourage them to seek medical assessment so they can benefit from the campaign.
Beyond restoring sight, the initiative is expected to help beneficiaries regain their independence and improve their quality of life, while reducing the burden on family members and caregivers.
The campaign’s message is that restoring sight can also restore opportunities, dignity and independence for people living with preventable blindness.