German-South Sudan Vision Health Initiative
At Wau Teaching Hospital, a new wave of optimism spread as the German Embassy and the Catholic Diocese of Wau launched an Integrated Eye Care Campaign on 4 November 2025.
The program aims to conduct 1,200 cataract surgeries and treat more than 3,000 people suffering from various visual impairments across Western Bahr el Ghazal.
Eye Care Bridges Health and Socio-Economic Gaps
Preventable blindness still curtails schooling, employment, and independence in rural South Sudan, deepening cycles of poverty and exclusion, health experts observe.
By restoring sight, the campaign is expected to return children to classrooms, enable parents to work, and strengthen community participation, organisers say.
Diplomatic and Faith Actors Unite for Impact
Ambassador Gregory Bledjian underlined Germany’s belief in “human dignity and solidarity,” noting that every successful operation “lets a mother see her children again or a youngster envision a future”.
Health adviser Tatjana Gerber called the project “a catalyst for dignity and development,” praising sustained embassy support that allows the Diocese of Wau to confront blindness head-on.
Long-Term Funding Anchors Sustainable Care
This is the third consecutive year Berlin has financed the campaign, complemented by technical backing from the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons.
The embassy’s Small-Scale Project programme will renew funding next year, aligning eye health with broader cooperation on rural development, water, sanitation, and peacebuilding in South Sudan.