Prof Ciku Mathenge, Program Director at RIIO School of Ophthalmology
Prof Ciku Mathenge is Comprehensive Ophthalmologist, Specializing in Diseases of the Retina. and is a Founding Director of RIIO and RIIOiHospital.
Prof Mathenge received her medical degree from the University of Nairobi. She subsequently attended the same University for her specialization in Ophthalmology. She completed her Masters Of Science in Community Ophthalmology at the University of London Institute of Ophthalmology with distinction and later graduated with a PhD focusing her research on retinal diseases in African eyes from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. She then proceed to pursue a fellowship in medical retina form the Retina Foundation in India.
Prof Mathenge is a leading researcher in ophthalmology on the African continent including carrying out the first Rapid Assessment of Avoidable blindness study in the world in Nakuru Kenya and the first Randomised trial in artificial intelligence for diabetic retinopathy screening in Rwanda. She was previously the Head of Department at the Kigali Health Institute and was appointed a full Professor in Ophthalmology in 2014 by the University of Rwanda. Prof Mathenge is currently the Program Director at the RIIO School of Ophthalmology.
As a comprehensive ophthalmologist, Prof Mathenge has special interests in cataract surgeries, glaucoma surgeries, paediatric ophthalmology and trauma surgery. Her additional specialism and experience is in the medical management of diabetic eye diseases and other retinal conditions.
Dr. John Cropsey, Clinical Training Consultant
Dr. Cropsey grew-up at a rural mission hospital in Togo, West Africa where his parents lived out their calling to love their neighbor. John and his wife, Jessica, have taken a similar path. Dr. Cropsey has undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of Michigan and he completed his residency at Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia in 2009. This was followed by a two year global ophthalmology fellowship with Dr. Ben Roberts at Tenwek Hospital, Kenya. From 2011 to 2021, the Cropseys were leaders/members of a large medical team from Serge Global assisting in the development of Hope Africa University’s teaching hospital at Kibuye, Burundi. Dr. Cropsey is excited to have joined the RIIO team as the Director of Clinical Training and Global Ophthalmology. John and Jessica come to Rwanda with three children – Elise, Micah and Sam.
Dr. Tsedeke Asaminew Alemu, Clinical Training Consultant
Dr. Tsedeke Asaminew Alemu is a consultant ophthalmologist, vitreoretinal subspecialist and medical educator with more than 11 years of experience in teaching, providing static and community outreach ophthalmic service, and research in the field of ophthalmology and medical education. He has held several leadership positions and served in the areas of quality service and medical education. He has served in the capacity building of health professionals nationally and internationally. He is the former president of Ophthalmological Society of Ethiopia and is the current chair of Education and Accreditation committee of the College of Ophthalmology of Eastern, Central, and Southern Africa.