To act as the representative of the optometrists in Botswana in their dealings with the government, Botswana Health Professions Council, Medical aids, and other relevant organizations or parties
boa members
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Thanuja Panicker-Naicker
Thato Nthula
Srujankumar Bhat Prathikantam
Manish Mathur
Nazar Kumar
Treasurer
ADDITIONAL MEMBERS
Kitso Disang
Kabanani Modie
Gosego Ngwigwa
Shaadi Ramoswaana
OUR OBJECTIVES
We Love Serving Our Local Community – Consumers, Opticians and Optometrists
Membership is open to Optometrists and Opticians who are registered with the Botswana Health Professions Council.
Only members who are registered and paid-up all dues in full shall have the right to vote and to hold office in the Association.
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Mr. Sushil Kumar
Founding Member
BOA Founding Member
Sushil Kumar
First fully qualified Optometrist to arrive in Botswana in early 1990, Sushil Kumar felt the need of creating public awareness on what Optometrist do. As the ranks of Optometrist and related cadres swelled an Optical Association was formed called BOA. This Association was duly registered, constitution was formed and office bearers in terms of the constitution were elected. BOA had various cadres of Eye Care Professionals e.g. Optometrists, Dispensing Opticians and Ophthalmic Assistants. Sushil Kumar was instrumental in forming the association and chairing for 10 years
Our History
Evolution of Optometry In Botswana
My desire to deal with conditions that affect the human eye stared in 1988 when I was doing my Tirelo Sechana (National Service) in Tshane. While there, I used to see eye care personnel coming all the way from Lobatse and Gaborone coming to do outreach at Hukuntsi Primary Hospital and I told myself that one day I will have to be counted as one of eyecare professionals in Botswana.
During our times, career guidance was not as developed as it is today, we had to do some research on our own regarding careers. So, after some research I settled for Optometry. Government had offered me scholarship to do dentistry but I chose to stick to my first choice-Optometry. After completing my part one BSc at University of Botswana, I was admitted at the University of Auckland in New Zealand to pursue Bachelor of Optometry. After completing, I come back home as the first Motswana to graduate as an Optometrist. I have also attained a Degree of Master of Public Health with University of Liverpool in the UK.
On my return home in 1996 I found a group dedicated professionals, most of whom were working in the private sector. Only the government funded mission hospital in Mochudi (Deborah Retief Memorial Hospital, DRM) offered ophthalmic services which included refraction services. It was therefore befitting that in 1997 a group of optometrists, opticians and owners of “optical practice” (as they were called then) gathered at DRM to establish an association called Botswana Optical Association. One of the aims of this association was to advance the interests of both the registered Health Professionals (Optometrists and Opticians) as well as those of the owners of “optical outlets” who were mainly business people who did not have a health professions qualification.
In 2007, Botswana Optical Association collaborated with other Eye Care Health Professions including Ophthalmologists and Ophthalmic Nurses to further advance ophthalmic issues in Botswana. This collaboration resulted in the formation of a body called Botswana Eye Care Providers Society whose some of objectives were:
BOTSWANA OPTOM WELL REPRESENTED AT THE WELL ORGANISED SAOA CENTENNIAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE (18th to 20th July 2024)
Optoms of Botswana Optometrists Association well represented at the International Centennial Conference organized by South African Optometric Association from 18th July 2024 to…
Botswana Optometrist Association at the 4th World Congress of Optometry, Melbourne 2023
From September 8-10, 2023, BOA marked a significant presence at the 4th World Congress of Optometry held in Melbourne, Australia. Our delegation was…
BOA Chairperson – Optom Thanuja Panicker – Appointed to AFCO Board
Announcement Date: 27 October 2023The Board of Optometry Association (BOA) is pleased to announce that our Chairperson has been appointed to the African…
Clinical Pearls: Expert Strategies for Managing Accommodation and Convergence Anomalies by Dr. Jayarajini S
Anomalies of Accommodation and Convergence represent complex binocular vision dysfunctions that can manifest as significant visual disturbances. Accommodation pertains to the ocular mechanism…
MYGENE Dx GENETIC COURSE VALEDICTORY (BATCH TWO) ONLINE CEREMONY PROGRAM
Date: Monday, 14th August 2023 Time: 18.00hrs Botswana Time/CAT The Botswana Optometrists Association (BOA) recently held its valedictory ceremony for the second batch…
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BOA works with charitable organizations to deliver free services including: Free Vision Screening, Free Spectacles, Free Treatment of Eye Conditions