What we do

Research and Innovation

KCCO generates practical evidence to improve eye health policy, services, and outcomes across sub-Saharan Africa. We focus on questions that matter to Ministries of Health, hospitals, and communities, and use our findings to strengthen real programmes on the ground.

Through its affiliation with the University of Cape Town in South Africa, where KCCO serves as a WHO Collaborating Centre for Trachoma, and with Kilimanjaro Christian Medical University College (KCMUCo) in Tanzania, KCCO advances locally led research in community ophthalmology.

Explore Our Publications and Reports

Our current priorities include:

Childhood cataract & low vision

Designing and testing models that improve early detection, referral, surgery, follow-up, and low vision support for children and their families.

Gender and eye health

Identifying and addressing barriers that prevent women from accessing eye care, and co-creating gender-responsive outreach and service delivery models.

Trachoma elimination

Supporting countries to reach and sustain trachoma elimination targets, with a focus on hard-to-reach groups.

Community and health system innovation

Working with partners to trial new approaches in community case finding, outreach, data use, and quality improvement in busy public eye departments.

Working in partnership with governments, universities, and NGOs, KCCO ensures that research findings inform policy, programme design, and service delivery improvements.