(Monrovia, Liberia, May 15, 2026) — The Ministry of Health (MOH), through its National Eye Program, has embarked on an inter-ministerial and inter-agency eye screening program across Montserrado County as part of efforts to address growing concerns over vision impairment in Liberia.
Speaking during the opening ceremony at the Ministry of Local Government, Dr. Molley R. Goe Jr., Director of the National Eye Program at the Ministry of Health, encouraged government employees to prioritize regular eye examinations.
“The eye is the gateway to the brain; it is a vital part of the body,” Dr. Goe said during the screening exercise. “There are many systemic conditions in the human body that can damage the eyes, including diabetes, high blood pressure, HIV and AIDS, and even cancer in the brain.”
Dr. Goe said many cases of blindness could be prevented through routine screening and early detection.
“If only people had the know-how by checking or screening their eyes regularly, many would not become blind,” he said.
He added that the outreach was deliberately designed to reach government institutions because heavy workloads often prevent employees from seeking medical attention.
“The National Eye Program was very intentional in reaching out to government entities because many times the workload is very heavy at our various ministries, which cannot give us the time to go for eye screening at the hospital,” Goe said.
He also assured workers that qualified professionals were conducting the screenings and that patients needing advanced treatment would be referred appropriately.
“Today we are here with a team that is very professional, most of them trained in India,” he said. “We are giving out reading glasses after screening your eyes, but if there are any other issues with your eyes, we will refer you to JFK for proper treatment.”
The screening exercise, which began on 11 May and is expected to run through 26 May 2026, targets employees of government ministries, agencies and corporate institutions, bringing eye care services directly to workplaces.
The program is intended to expand access to screening, consultation and public awareness on eye health, especially for workers who may not have the time to seek medical attention at hospitals.
The campaign was informed by findings from the 2012 Rapid Assessment of Avoidable Blindness (RAAB), which revealed that the prevalence of blindness increases with age in Liberia.
The Ministry of Health team conducting the screenings includes ophthalmologists and other mid-level eye health professionals.