About the Program

The Fred Hollows Foundation NZ coordinates a large, multi-year eye health program which operates in three areas: in Port Moresby, the capital; in the northern coastal province of Madang; and on the isolated island province of West New Britain. Its activities, which have been running since 2002, are carried out in partnership with government and local organisations and are financed through public funds from the New Zealand Government and charitable donations from the New Zealand public, as well as a variety of trusts and foundations.

The Fred Hollows Foundation - PNG Eye Care Program has been focusing on training local eye care workers and equipping them to use their skills.  The Foundation has formal partnerships with the National Department of Health, the University of PNG, Port Moresby General Hospital, Modilon General Hospital and Divine Word University, as well as good collaborative relationships with other disability and health organisations.

In the capital Port Moresby, The Foundation has re-established an eye clinic and has established a high quality training program for doctors. The spectacles service set up by The Foundation and run by its partner organisation FHF-PNG is supplying ready-made spectacles to providers all over Papua New Guinea.

In Madang province, the eye clinic at Modilon General Hospital has been refurbished and equipped and a comprehensive nurse training programme has commenced in partnership with Divine Word University. In 2007, eight eye nurses enrolled on the course and this year ten nurses will complete the one year course.

In West New Britain, The Foundation is delivering a three year project funded by the New Zealand government. The project will train eye nurses and community health workers, build an eye clinic, equip five smaller existing clinics and establish a spectacle program so that spectacles can be prescribed and sold on a cost-recovery basis.  A school screening program and community eye care programs are also being developed.

The Foundation supports outreach programs to provide access to surgical and essential eye care services for remote communities. It partners with local government and other non-governmental organisations to coordinate outreach activities and ensure that eyesight interventions are tied in with other health programs.

The main barriers to restoring sight in PNG are the very low numbers of eye care workers, the large distances people must travel to access care (if it is available at all), the costs associated with eye care and the lack of awareness that blindness is treatable.  Women also have additional barriers due to cultural restrictions.