TAJIKISTAN

VHI collaborates with the Karobolo National Medical Center’s Department of Ophthalmology in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. This is the country’s primary teaching hospital for ophthalmology with an active residency program and hundreds of patients daily. Tajikistan, a mountainous nation of about 10 million, is stable and safe, though most residents speak Tajik Persian, Russian, or Uzbek rather than English. The country faces significant gaps in eye care, including no trained retinal surgeons, limited diagnostic equipment, and underdeveloped subspecialty services. VHI supports capacity building by working alongside faculty, residents, and the Ministry of Health to advance training and sustainable infrastructure.

Support Our Work in Tajikistan

Upcoming programs in Tajikistan

VHI is hoping to implement at least one field program in Tajoikistan each year; the next VHI program in Tajikistan will likely take place in 2026.

Volunteer with VHI

VHI Partnerships in Tajikistan

VHI partners with the Karobolo National Medical Center’s Department of Ophthalmology, the country’s national referral and teaching hospital, and collaborates with Ibni Sina Medical School to support ophthalmology training. The Ministry of Health of Tajikistan is also a key partner, having signed a memorandum of understanding to advance capacity building in ophthalmology.

Volunteering with VHI in Tajikistan

Most Tajikistan programs are about a week long; volunteers typically fly into Dushanbe International Airport.

Key Facts About Vision Care in Tajikistan

Capital city: Dushanbe with about 1 million residents
Karobolo Hospital patient load: several hundred per day
Local capacity: 12 ophthalmologists, skilled cataract surgeons (MSICS), no retina specialists
Gaps: limited equipment for refraction, strabismus measurement, and retinal diagnosis; reliance on direct ophthalmoscopes
Languages: Tajik Persian, Russian, Uzbek; English translation available in OR

Creating Sustainable Solutions

VHI provides hands-on training and lectures for residents and attendings at Karobolo Hospital, focusing on pediatric ophthalmology and other subspecialties prioritized by the Ministry of Health. The program includes equipment donations, such as retinoscopes, prisms, ophthalmoscopes, and slit lamp calibration tools, to enhance diagnostic capacity. Long-term skills transfer is supported through collaboration with SEE International, Sightsavers International, and the Himalayan Cataract Project.