OFFICIAL STATEMENT ASK OPTSAM — TANZANIAN INITIATIVE FOR EYE-HEALTH EDUCATION

Optsam was never just a name. It has always been a vision and a journey.

I am Samwel John Mushi, professionally known as J.M. Samwel, Optometrist.

I would like to take this opportunity to formally clarify the meaning, history and current direction of Optsam, particularly the development of Ask Optsam, as I continue my professional journey in eye health.

The Beginning — 2017

The Optsam journey began in 2017, rooted in my profession as an Optometrist.

The name OPT was derived from Optometrist, while SAM was derived from Samwel — reflecting my name and professional identity as Samwel / J.M. Samwel / Samwel John Mushi.

From its beginning, Optsam was founded around a vision of contributing to the community through eye-health education, awareness and activities intended to address avoidable blindness and visual impairment.

The founding concept and objectives of Optsam were primarily non-profit and community-oriented.

Understanding “Optsam Eye Care and Optical Workshop Store”

At one stage of this journey, Optsam Eye Care and Optical Workshop Store became the business identity through which I conducted private-sector professional activities.

It is important to clarify that this business identity represented the commercial side of my professional practice, while the broader Optsam vision extended beyond commercial activities.

During my private practice, the business component helped provide resources that supported various ideas, programmes and community-oriented activities associated with the vision I had developed.

There were also situations in which institutional clients required consultation and professional services to be invoiced under a registered business name. This contributed to the adoption and use of Optsam Eye Care and Optical Workshop Store as a trading identity.

However, the existence of that business identity should not be interpreted as meaning that the original vision of Optsam was established solely for profit.

The people who joined me during different stages of that journey were largely friends, colleagues and supporters who willingly contributed their time, knowledge and effort toward ideas they believed in.

A Journey of Ideas

Over the years, Optsam became more than a name or a single activity. It became a source of ideas.

One of those ideas eventually became Ask Optsam.

Ask Optsam represents my continued exploration of how responsible use of the internet can expand access to reliable eye-health information, education and awareness.

The initiative is intended to provide information about eye health in Kiswahili and English, with content relevant to the needs and realities of Tanzania, and with the long-term vision of reaching communities across East Africa.

Its purpose is educational and awareness-oriented: to help people understand eye health, visual impairment, avoidable blindness, prevention, appropriate eye-care seeking and the importance of professional eye-care services.

My Transition to Public Service

This year marks another important chapter in my professional journey.

After years of practising Optometry in the private sector — including spending a significant part of my professional practice as a solo practitioner — I have now officially transitioned into public service.

I consider this an important opportunity to serve, learn and understand the delivery of primary eye care from another perspective.

My experience in the private sector has shaped my understanding of patients, communities, professional practice and the challenges surrounding access to eye care. I believe that this experience can contribute positively to my public-service journey while maintaining the highest standards of professional ethics, integrity and responsibility.

Separation of Roles and Commitment to Integrity

Because I now serve in the public sector, I also recognise the importance of transparency and avoiding any actual or perceived conflict of interest.

For that reason, it is important to make the position of Ask Optsam clear.

Ask Optsam is a personal, non-commercial, educational and eye-health awareness initiative. It is not a government programme, does not represent the Government of Tanzania, and should not be interpreted as speaking on behalf of my employer or any government institution.

The initiative is also not intended to replace eye-care professionals, replace clinical services, solicit patients, compete with public health services, or interfere with my official responsibilities as a public servant.

My government duties and professional responsibilities remain separate from the activities and identity of Ask Optsam.

Any information shared through Ask Optsam is intended primarily for general education and awareness. Where individual clinical assessment, diagnosis, treatment or other professional intervention is required, members of the public should seek care from qualified and appropriate eye-health professionals or health facilities.

I am committed to ensuring that my personal initiative does not compromise my responsibilities, professional ethics, impartiality or obligations as a public servant.

Why Continue Optsam?

Some may ask why I continue with Optsam after moving from private-sector practice into public service.

The answer is simple:

I do not want to abandon a vision that has been part of my journey for nearly nine years simply because my professional circumstances have changed.

Instead, I believe the vision can evolve into a form that is more appropriate to my current professional position.

The journey that once included a business-oriented identity can now increasingly focus on the social-impact and educational side of the original vision.

That is where Ask Optsam comes in.

It is an attempt to use knowledge, technology and responsible digital communication to contribute to the fight against avoidable blindness and visual impairment through education and awareness.

What Optsam Means Today

Optsam is not simply a business name.

Optsam is a vision.

Optsam is a journey.

Optsam is a collection of ideas that continue to evolve.

And Ask Optsam is one chapter of that journey — a chapter focused on eye-health education, public awareness and responsible sharing of knowledge.

My transition into public service does not end that journey.

It gives it a new responsibility.

I intend to continue developing Ask Optsam in a way that respects professional boundaries, public-service responsibilities, ethical standards and the trust of the community.

My hope is that this platform can contribute, even in a small way, to a more informed society — one that understands the importance of eye health, recognises the risks of avoidable blindness and visual impairment, and knows when and where to seek appropriate professional care.

The name may evolve.
The structure may change.
The chapter may be different.
But the vision remains.

Ask Optsam

Tanzanian Initiative for Eye-Health Education

Reliable Eye-Health Information • Education • Awareness

J.M. Samwel, Optometrist
Optsam