An ophthalmologist from Mozambique, Dr. Mariamo Abdala has been working in ophthalmology for 16 years. She is now the Head of the Ophthalmology Department at Maputo Central Hospital, where she is part of the team caring for children with retinoblastoma. KnowTheGlow Co-Founder Megan Webber, Director of Global Outreach, Helene Dameris, and Programs Manager for Africa, Ruth Ngaruiya, recently spoke with her to learn more about her journey, her work in Mozambique, and the progress being made in retinoblastoma care there.
At the time of the call, Dr. Mariamo was in Madurai, India, where she had just begun a six-month fellowship in orbital surgery at Aravind Eye Hospital, one of several training opportunities she has taken up outside Mozambique over the years. Her involvement in retinoblastoma began through a partnership with the Alliance Mondiale Contre le Cancer (AMCC) in 2017.
Through the partnership, Dr. Mariamo and a paediatric ophthalmologist colleague, Dr. Tapuwa Gundana, travelled to Spain for specialised retinoblastoma training. The experience introduced her to Dr. Jaume Català, a connection that has continued over the years and eventually led to her meeting the KnowTheGlow team.
Through the partnership with AMCC, Dr. Mariamo and her colleagues also received equipment for conservative retinoblastoma treatment. About two years ago, they began offering this treatment in Mozambique. Several children have since been treated this way, giving another option for families who might otherwise have needed to travel elsewhere for care.
At the Central Hospital of Maputo, retinoblastoma cases are currently managed by a multidisciplinary team that includes ophthalmologists, a paediatric oncologist, a radiologist, and pathologists. The team meets to discuss cases and works together to determine the most appropriate treatment for each child.
For Dr. Mariamo, though, improving retinoblastoma care is not only about what happens once a child reaches the hospital. A major focus now is finding children earlier. She explained that the team is working to train primary-care health workers to recognise the signs of retinoblastoma and leukocoria. With support from partners, training has now been organized for frontline health workers, with a focus on northern Mozambique. The team has seen far too many children from the region arrive with advanced stage retinoblastoma, making it especially important to ensure that health workers know how to recognise the signs early and refer children for timely care.
Some families have to travel long distances to access treatment, as chemotherapy is not available in every province, with many travelling to Nampula. Moving between different locations during treatment can be difficult, particularly for families who are already navigating the challenges of a child’s diagnosis.
Dr. Mariamo and her colleagues are also working on how retinoblastoma cases are recorded. They have recently developed a database and are improving the way cases are registered, sourced, and managed.
Her interest in improving early diagnosis also extends to the next generation of doctors. Dr. Mariamo studied medicine at Eduardo Mondlane University and now teaches there. She believes there is more that can be done to make sure medical students and other health professionals are familiar with the signs of glow-related pediatric eye conditions.
Dr. Mariamo shared with the KnowTheGlow team that she is the first doctor in her family. Her husband is also a doctor and works in public health, so healthcare has become an important part of their family life.
The conversation then turned to KnowTheGlow’s work and how it could support the efforts already underway in Mozambique. The team shared more about its work to raise awareness of leukocoria and the signs that parents and caregivers can look out for. KnowTheGlow is preparing to bring this work to Mozambique through an awareness campaign in 2027.
As the campaign takes shape, the team looks forward to staying connected with Dr. Mariamo and learning from her experience as the work to improve early detection and care for children with retinoblastoma continues in Mozambique.
