“Some patients haven’t seen their children or grandchildren, only heard their voices. And when they see them for the first time, they start crying. And then you start crying.” – Dr Epeli
Dr Epeli Navela is from a small coastal village on Vanua Levu, in northern Fiji. With very picturesque surroundings, Dr Epeli grew up near beautiful blue waters and coral reefs. He is very much an outdoorsy man, who loves scuba diving and hiking.
Dr Epeli left his home to work in the public health sector before transitioning into eye care. He was stationed at Lautoka Hospital where he was recommended to move into eye care by Dr Luisa Talatala.
Thanks to the kindness of remarkable supporters in 2019 Dr Epeli was offered a scholarship to do further training to become an eye doctor.
When he began his studies, Dr Epeli learned of the complexities involved in eye health and that it was so much more than the eye itself. As he continued his studies he expressed that the most rewarding part of his job is the moment he takes the bandages off a patient after cataract surgery.
Dr Epeli now works for the Pacific Eye Institute in Suva and goes out on outreaches, bringing eye care to people in remote areas who don’t have the means to travel to the main islands, or do not know about eye care or how to access it.
Thanks to our incredible community of supporters, Dr Epeli has found his passion in eye care. He continues to learn and share his knowledge with his community and provides sight-restoring surgeries to people like Rupeni.
Avoidable blindness limits too many lives. By training local eye doctors, nurses and specialists to restore sight in their communities, we are setting the stage for more equitable eye care.
