Dr. Emmanuel Essomba Ndoumbe

Dr. Emmanuel Essomba Ndoumbe is an ophthalmologist at the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Yaoundé — Cameroon's premier teaching hospital in the capital and the main referral center for ophthalmology in the Centre Region. With 14 years of experience, he works at the forefront of preventing avoidable blindness in one of Central Africa's most populous countries.

Cameroon faces a significant burden of ocular disease. Cataract is the leading cause of blindness and Dr. Ndoumbe performs high-volume cataract surgery, including both small-incision cataract surgery (SICS) and phacoemulsification. Glaucoma — which has a higher prevalence and more aggressive course in populations of African descent — is a major concern, and he is experienced in medical and surgical glaucoma management. Onchocerciasis (river blindness), caused by a parasitic worm transmitted by blackfly along river systems in Cameroon's south, south-west, and north-west regions, is a tropical cause of blindness with which he has clinical familiarity.

Cameroon is bilingual in French and English, and Dr. Ndoumbe consults fluently in both languages, serving the country's francophone majority and anglophone minority populations.

Dr. Ndoumbe completed his Doctorat en Médecine at the Université de Yaoundé I and undertook postgraduate specialist training in Ophthalmology through the DES programme at CHU de Yaoundé, with attachments at the University of Bordeaux ophthalmology department in France. He completed additional surgical training in cataract surgery volume techniques and glaucoma surgery. He is a member of the Société Camerounaise d'Ophtalmologie and the International Council of Ophthalmology, and has attended Vision 2020 training programs on elimination of avoidable blindness.

Dr. Ndoumbe performs cataract extraction using both SICS and phacoemulsification with intraocular lens implantation. He manages glaucoma medically with topical agents and surgically with trabeculectomy. He manages diabetic retinopathy through fundoscopic assessment and coordinates laser treatment. He treats pterygium with surgical excision, manages ocular surface disease and conjunctivitis, and provides slit-lamp assessment and optical correction for refractive errors. He is experienced in evaluating ocular complications of onchocerciasis and managing uveitis associated with parasitic infection.

CHU de Yaoundé serves domestic Cameroonian patients and occasional regional patients from neighboring Central African states. Dr. Ndoumbe consults in French and English. International volunteers, NGO workers, and expatriates based in Yaoundé may access his ophthalmology services through the hospital's outpatient department. For complex retinal surgery beyond the current capacity at CHU Yaoundé, referrals to Douala or to France are coordinated.

Dr. Ndoumbe has been recognised by CHU de Yaoundé for his contributions to ophthalmic care, teaching, and the training of ophthalmology residents at the University of Yaoundé I. He participates in outreach cataract surgery camps in rural Cameroon organised by the Société Camerounaise d'Ophtalmologie and international partners, providing sight-restoring surgery to patients who cannot access hospital-based services in urban centres. He contributes to Vision 2020 programme activities and has engaged with the International Council of Ophthalmology's continuing education initiatives. His work in community eye health and cataract surgery volume has been acknowledged as a meaningful contribution to the prevention of avoidable blindness in Central Africa.