Dr. Christian Mbayo Lunda

Dr. Christian Mbayo Lunda is an ophthalmologist at the Hôpital Général de Référence de Kinshasa (HGK) — the main public referral hospital in the DRC's capital — where he provides surgical and medical eye care to a population with a high burden of preventable blindness. The Democratic Republic of Congo has an estimated 600,000 people who are blind, the majority from cataract — a condition that is surgically curable.

Dr. Mbayo trained in advanced IOL surgery at the Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology in Nepal, recognised globally as a centre of excellence for high-quality, high-volume ophthalmic surgical training adapted to resource-limited settings. His surgical practice focuses on manual small incision cataract surgery (MSICS) — a robust, efficient technique ideal for the DRC context.

In addition to cataract surgery, Dr. Mbayo works on trachoma elimination programmes in partnership with international NGOs. Trachoma remains endemic in parts of the DRC, and Dr. Mbayo has participated in trichiasis surgery campaigns in rural provinces.

Dr. Mbayo completed his Docteur en Médecine at the Université de Kinshasa (UNIKIN) — the DRC's oldest and largest university — and undertook ophthalmology specialist training in Kinshasa. He completed advanced IOL surgery training at the Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology in Kathmandu, Nepal — a globally recognised centre for cost-effective, high-quality cataract surgical training. He has participated in African Ophthalmology Council capacity-building programmes.

Dr. Mbayo's surgical practice centres on manual small incision cataract surgery (MSICS) — the gold standard technique for high-volume cataract programmes in sub-Saharan Africa. He performs sutureless MSICS with IOL implantation, achieving visual rehabilitation for patients blinded by cataract. In trachoma, he performs trachoma trichiasis surgery (TTT) — eyelid rotation surgery to prevent corneal scarring from inturned eyelashes. He also manages glaucoma medically, treats paediatric eye conditions including congenital cataract and strabismus, and provides refraction services.

Dr. Mbayo primarily provides eye care at HGK for Kinshasa's urban population and for patients referred from DRC provinces. He collaborates with international NGOs and visiting ophthalmology teams from France, Belgium, and the USA. He consults in French, Lingala, Swahili, and English. International ophthalmology volunteers working in DRC are welcome to contact him through the hospital to coordinate outreach activities.

Dr. Mbayo is a member of the African Ophthalmology Council and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness. His Tilganga training is internationally recognised. He has contributed to WHO-DRC trachoma elimination programme activities and has participated in surgical outreach camps in remote provinces, collectively restoring sight to hundreds of cataract-blind patients.