Agnes Owete, MD, PGY-3 received a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Research Travel Grant Award to present "First Cornea Transplants in Sierra Leone: A Review of Outcomes and Impact," at the 2026 Global Ophthalmology Summit. In collaboration with Sheena Song, DO, Lloyd Williams, MD, PhD, and colleagues in Sierra Leone, the research highlights the successful partnership between Duke Global Ophthalmology and Connaught Hospital in establishing Sierra Leone's first corneal transplant program.
Presented during the awards session, Owete's research examined the outcomes and impact of the program, which focuses on surgical training, tissue access, and building local capacity for long-term eye care services. The partnership enabled the first corneal transplants ever performed in Sierra Leone and trained the first Sierra Leonean surgeons to perform corneal transplants independently. Since the program's first visit, the team has completed more than 120 corneal surgeries while helping establish sustainable local expertise and increasing investment and advocacy for ophthalmology and eye care in the country. These efforts have helped strengthen ophthalmic training and infrastructure in Sierra Leone, contributing to the establishment of the country's first ophthalmology residency program. Owete also highlighted how the partnership's model has been adapted for corneal transplant care and surgical education initiatives in Indonesia, Guyana, North Macedonia, and Tanzania, with Indonesia subsequently establishing its own eye banking program.
The Global Ophthalmology Summit, held in Philadelphia, brings together ophthalmologists, researchers, educators, and global health leaders from around the world to share advances in eye care, education, innovation, and international partnerships. In addition to Owete's presentation, Lloyd Williams, MD, PhD presented on eye care delivery in South Sudan and served as faculty for a subspecialty session, while Sheena Song, DO participated as a case presenter. Duke faculty members S. Grace Prakalapakorn, MD, MPH, and Wanja Mathenge, MD, PhD, also contributed as faculty and speakers during summit sessions.