Liberia

Blindness in Liberia

Liberia is a country in Western Africa, bordering Sierra Leone, Guinea, and the Ivory Coast. It was initially established in 1822 as a colony for freed African American slaves. The settlers declared independence in 1847 and created a model of government based on the principles of the U.S. Constitution.

However, foreign investment in the country emphasized resource extraction exclusively, keeping it from developing economically. Furthermore, the Liberian people suffered under a series of dictatorships and civil wars. The country only began to stabilize after a peace deal made in 2003.

Today, the World Health Organization estimates that approximately 1% of Liberians, or roughly 35,000 people, suffer from blindness. Cataracts are the number one cause of blindness in the country, with an estimated 17,500 people affected, or 50% of the total blind population. An additional 3% of the total population, or 10,500 Liberians, suffer from visual impairment.

The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare stated that it is committed to expanding its eye health care services by integrating them into county-level and school health services. However, over 50% of Liberia’s population lives in rural areas, where access to health facilities is limited.