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Forging Ahead: Bridging Gaps in Global Surgery
9-11th July 2025,
Hilton Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
Mohamad Aziz Salowi
Dr Aziz is a Public Health Ophthalmologist specialising in Cataracts, Epidemiology and Prevention of Blindness. He currently heads the Selayang Satellite Cataract Surgery Centre near Selayang Hospital.
He graduated with MBBS from the University of Malaya in 1997, Master of Surgery (Ophthalmology) UKM in 2007 and Public Health Ophthalmology fellowship in 2015.
Working with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB), Dr Aziz leads the initiatives on Cataract Surgery Access and Surgical Outcome Monitoring in the Western Pacific Region. He is the WHO-certified trainer for the Population Survey on Blindness and awardee for numerous awards on the Prevention of Blindness.
His work on Cataract Outreach and National Eye Database was recently recognised by WHO when they were selected as the WHO Case Study for Health Care Innovation.
He has made it his passionate call, through contributions from his work, to continue helping people in the rural areas to have equitable access to the eyecare services they need, when and where they need them, without any financial hardship.
Abstract
In 2023, Rapid Assessment of Avoidable Blindness (RAAB) surveys were conducted in the Eastern and Sarawak regions of Malaysia to assess eye care service performance following the introduction of mobile cataract programs.
Method:
Using multistage cluster sampling, residents aged 50 and above were examined for visual acuity and causes of impairment. Of 10,184 enumerated subjects, 9,709 were examined, with high response rates in both regions.
Results:
Findings revealed significant improvements since the 2014 National Eye Survey (NES II). Blindness prevalence decreased from 1.4% to 0.8% in Eastern and from 1.6% to 0.6% in Sarawak. Severe visual impairment also declined. Untreated cataract remained the leading cause of blindness, though cataract prevalence dropped at most surgical thresholds. Good post-surgical visual outcomes (VA ≥6/12) increased, and effective Cataract Surgical Coverage (eCSC) rose by 13.8–19.2% in Eastern and 18.6–23.8% in Sarawak. Notably, gender disparities in cataract surgical coverage observed in 2014 were no longer evident in 2023.
Conclusion:
These improvements suggest the success of mobile cataract services and quality surgical initiatives. However, further coordinated efforts are needed to meet the WHO’s target of a 30% increase in eCSC and to continue reducing avoidable blindness nationwide.