- TFOS Ambassadors
Uganda
Naomi Nsubuga
Dr Naomi Nsubuga graduated from the Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University, USA. She is currently an Optometry Lecturer and the Head of the Department of Allied Health Sciences at the College of Health Sciences at Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda.
Dr. Nsubuga was a member of the Board of Trustees for Vision Action (formerly Vision Aid Overseas). She was previously employed by an International NGO where she managed eye health projects in Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. In addition to her clinical skills, she gained extensive experience in development work, especially in Child Eye Health in the community setting (specifically School Eye Health), and capacity building for Human Resources for Eye Health (HReH). She managed the development of 3 optometry programmes in the region (Eritrea, Kenya, and Uganda).
Dr. Nsubuga is a member of the National Prevention of Blindness Committee (NPBC) at the Ministry of Health (MOH) in Uganda. She is a member of the Assistive Technology Technical Working Group, the Low Vision Working Group and Child Eye Health Technical Committee that advise the MoH. She is currently a member of TWGs advising MOH on the development of the Child Eye Health Guidelines, the Assistive Technology (AT) Framework, the Vision Rehabilitation Guidelines, the National Rehabilitation Strategic plan and the National Eye Health Strategic Plan.
Dr. Nsubuga previously served on the WHO Development Group for Paediatric Eye Care Interventions, and the WHO Eye Care Competency Framework TWG, the WHO Basic Package of Interventions for Rehabilitation (Basic PIR) Expert Review Group and the WHO Competency-based Refractive Error Teams (CRET) TWG. She is a member of the School Eye Health Rapid Assessment (SEHRA) Advisory Group for LSHTM which is developing a School Eye Health screening protocol using the PEEK screening tool.
Dr. Nsubuga is active in organised optometry and is affiliated with several organisations. She is a member of the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) Refractive Error and Vision Rehabilitation Working Groups. She is a member of the World Council of Optometry (WCO) and has served on several committees. She has served as the Vice-president for the African Council of Optometry (AFCO). She is a co-founder of the Optometrists Association of Uganda (OAU). Under the association, she lobbied the Ministry of Health to recognise and regulate the Optometry profession and to integrate it into the public service in Uganda; and Makerere University to establish the first optometry training programme in Uganda.
Dr Nsubuga has been honoured with several awards including the AFCO Merit Award (for supporting the development of Optometry in Africa), the IAPB Eye Health Hero Award and the IAPB Vision Excellence Award.
