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African Ophthalmology Council (AOC) welcomes new interim President

Published: 07.02.2023
Photo of Ciku Mathenge
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The African Ophthalmology Council is pleased to announce that Prof. Ciku Mathenge has accepted the role of interim President.

Ciku is well known in the AOC from its inception and has served as Treasurer since 2017. She is well respected at home and internationally as a thought leader in research and clinical care and is also a natural leader and innovator in the education space. Ciku is a Co-Founder and Director of the Rwanda International Institute of Ophthalmology. Ciku trained as an ophthalmologist at the University of Nairobi. She has an MSc in Community Ophthalmology from University College London and studied retinal diseases in African eyes for her PHD at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine before pursuing a fellowship in Medical Retina.

Ciku was the Medical Advisor for Africa for the Fred Hollows Foundation (FHF) for 15 years, before moving to Orbis international in the same capacity. She sat on the Board of the International Council of Ophthalmology (ICO) from 2013 to 2021 and currently on the board of Ophthalmology Foundation. She is the previous Head of the Education and Accreditation Committee of COECSA and the Vice President of the Rwanda Ophthalmology Society. Ciku has also worked extensively with WHO AFRO notably in developing the Primary Eye Care curriculum for the African region.

In 2021 she was nominated for IAPB Vision Excellence award and was on the Ophthalmology Power List of the 100 most influential women in Ophthalmology.