Dr Martin Kollmann, ophthalmologist fighting NTDs, receives engagement award from the BMZ

Dr Martin Kollmann has been honoured with the Engagement Award from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), recognised in the lifetime achievement category for his tireless commitment to people affected by neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) such as river blindness and trachoma.

I will continue to campaign for ophthalmology and neglected tropical diseases — this is and will remain a matter close to my heart.

Prof. Dr. Martin Kollmann

A specialist in ophthalmology and international health, Prof. Dr. Kollmann has lived in Kenya since 1994. He is a pioneer in the fight against NTDs, including African sleeping sickness, schistosomiasis, also known as bilharzia, Chagas, leishmaniasis, rabies, and dengue fever. His work extends beyond medical care—he has championed the social inclusion of affected communities and helped shape a development approach that sees disability as a cross-cutting issue.

From 2011, he served as CBM’s expert advisor on NTDs, playing a key role in efforts to eliminate preventable causes of blindness in some of the poorest parts of the world. Even in retirement, Martin remains deeply engaged.

“Millions of people still suffer from neglected tropical diseases that can lead to blindness if untreated,” he says. “I will continue to be committed to ophthalmology and NTDs—this is and remains a matter close to my heart.”

Dr. Martin Kollmann (centre) as a guest of the Bundestag Committee on Economic Cooperation and Development

CBM’s Director of the Inclusive Health Initiative, Dr M. Babar Qureshi, captured the depth of Martin’s legacy in his tribute:

“It is an incredible honour and a real personal joy to celebrate Dr. Martin Kollmann, whose legacy runs deep through the heart of CBM and whose work has touched countless lives. This is not only a recognition of your extraordinary professional accomplishments, but also a tribute to your deep humanity, your humility, and your great belief in the power of community.
Your leadership has not only helped restore sight — it has helped build systems, train future leaders, and set a standard for what respectful, inclusive healthcare should look like. And perhaps more than anything else, it’s your constant lifting of others that has inspired us all.”

Dr Kollmann’s decades-long service has left a lasting imprint—not just in the lives of those whose sight he helped save, but in the systems, partnerships, and young professionals he helped build and mentor. His work stands as a model of what it means to serve with compassion, excellence, and a deep belief in equity.

As CBM and global partners continue the work of eliminating NTDs, Martin’s legacy lives on—in the programmes he helped shape, the values he upheld, and the communities he refused to leave behind.

Interview with Prof. Dr. Martin Kollmann

In this abridged interview conducted alongside colleague Hubert Seifert, we share excerpts of Dr Martin Kollmann’s response explaining his work for CBM in Kenya and Africa.

Certificate of Membership 2025–2027

What have you achieved with your work?

I first went to Nairobi as a lecturer – it was important to me even then to train doctors. At the same time, we have carried out many field missions in underserved areas to help people with cataracts or protect them from trachoma.

What special challenges did your work entail?

Since 2010, I have been involved in the fight against neglected tropical diseases such as trachoma and river blindness. These diseases tend to occur where roads do not reach. In countries like the Central African Republic or the Democratic Republic of Congo, distributing medicines is difficult even under normal circumstances. When conflicts occur, it becomes nearly impossible for us to access the communities. Despite this, we managed to carry out distributions most of the time with the help of our partners.

For me, the real heroes are the health workers and numerous community volunteers in these countries who distribute medicines, sometimes risking their lives.

Are there any encounters that have remained in your memory?
During an operation in a remote area, an elderly man who had been diagnosed with cataracts many years earlier approached me. At that time, lenses were not used, but glasses with thick lenses were prescribed. This man had patched his glasses for years with cellotape and all kinds of other materials. I then operated on him and asked afterwards if he could give me his glasses. It still hangs on my wall today. For me, it symbolises why I am here.

What are your plans for the future?

I am pleased that many of the initiatives I helped to start will be continued and further developed. I will continue to campaign for ophthalmology and neglected tropical diseases - this is and will remain a matter close to my heart.

And the hobbies for retirement?
I still have a whole list of things I enjoy that are unrelated to work – from playing the guitar to singing in my choir and going on trips I have planned. So I'm glad I now have more time for those activities.

Martin Kollmann on a mission to save eyesight

The ophthalmologist and specialist in tropical medicine, Dr Martin Kollmann, has been working for CBM in sub-Saharan Africa and Kenya since 2001. He lived in Kenya with his family since 1994. For Dr. Kollmann (3rd from R), the focus was always on training local medical staff. After his eye surgery, an elderly man handed Dr. Kollmann these glasses, which he had to use to see for years. Dr. Martin Kollmann with Queen Elizabeth in 2013 at Buckingham Palace. Her Jubilee Foundation for the Diamond Jubilee was committed to combating the blinding disease trachoma, together with the International Coalition to Combat Trachoma, whose chairman was the CBM ophthalmologist. Since 2011, Dr. Martin Kollmann has been advising CBM as an expert in fighting neglected tropical diseases. These include river blindness and trachoma, which are the leading causes of preventable blindness. Thank you, Dr Kollmann, for your commitment to opening eyes and preventing blindness.