Dr Grace Chipalo-Mutati

Dr Grace Chipalo-Mutati is one of just 18 ophthalmologists serving Zambia’s 15 million people—an immense challenge in a country with limited resources and one of the fastest-growing populations in the world. As Head of the country’s largest medical facility, Grace has worked tirelessly to expand access to eye care.

With no community eye health training available locally, Grace pursued a Master’s degree in London. Her studies equipped her with essential skills to address the links between poverty and avoidable blindness. Upon returning to Zambia, Grace significantly expanded primary eye care training and outreach. She also led the development of Zambia’s first Master’s in Ophthalmology, enabling the country to train its own specialists for the first time. In 2012, her leadership culminated in the opening of a state-of-the-art training, research, and resource centre—a true centre of excellence for eye health in Zambia.