Mrs Diane van Staden is an advocate for long-term
sustainable eye-care in African.

Mrs Diane van Staden, Optometry Lecturer and PhD candidate in the College of Health Sciences, said it was an unforgettable experience when she presented her research at the European Academy of Optometry and Optics' (EAOO) annual conference which was held from 20 to 22 April 2012 in Dublin, Ireland.

Her study is titled: An evaluation of a multi-partner development initiative in the establishment of an undergraduate optometry training program for Portuguese-speaking Africa: the Mozambique Eye Care Project Implementation Lessons.

The study is a contribution to the Mozambique Eyecare Project (MEP) which is the first Portuguese-language optometry program in Africa.

Confronting implementation and sustainability issues of MEP in her PhD, van Staden presented data related to recruitment of faculty, their interest in joining the Project, experiences and challenges on the project, as well as benefits gained from the experience.