Our work in the Solomon Islands
We are currently training three Solomons eye nurses and providing further postgraduate training to two doctors.
We undertake surgical outreach trips to remote parts of the Solomons at least annually, and incorporate doctor and nurse training into these trips.
In 2007, FHFNZ signed an MOU with the Solomon Islands Government. It includes FHFNZ provision of :
- surgical outreach services,
- scholarships to doctors and nurses to train at our training centre,
- appropriate equipment to trained staff;
as well as a commitment to support the development of a sustainable national spectacle programme.
There are approximately 500,000 people living in the Solomon Islands. Based on our research in Papua New Guinea, we estimate there will be at least 5,000 blind people in the Solomon Islands, mainly needing cataract surgery. A further 15,000 will be suffering from poor vision from cataracts and the need for glasses.
Five eye doctors and 20 eye nurses are required to address blindness and vision disability in the Solomon Islands. There are currently two eye doctors and 12 eye nurses working in the Solomon Islands.
The Fred Hollows Foundation NZ has been running blindness prevention programs in the Pacific since 2002. Our focus is very much on training Pacific eye doctors and nurses to deliver quality eye care within their own health systems. We do this by offering training and ongoing workforce support from three regional training centres – Suva, Madang and Dili.
In 2008, FHFNZ trained three eye doctors and 22 eye nurses from seven countries across our three training centres. In 2009, five eye doctors and at least 22 nurses are expected to join our programs.
If you’d like to support our work in the Pacific, please call our donation line 0800 227 229, or donate online here
