Why a new eye health centre is vital
Papua New Guinea has one of the highest rates of avoidable blindness and vision impairment globally. Over 5.6% of the population aged 50 and over live with blindness, of which approximately 90% is treatable or preventable. Women, rural communities, and the elderly face the greatest challenges in accessing care due to fragile health infrastructure, poverty, and cultural barriers.
Game-changing eye care
The new Centre for Eye Health in Port Moresby will be a game-changer. Opening in 2026, the Centre will be a hub for training ophthalmologists, eye nurses and optometrists, eye care service delivery and outreach, research, innovation, coordination and leadership.
The Centre will provide training for local eye care professionals, substantially supporting the delivery of high-quality, accessible eye care to people across Papua New Guinea.
The Centre will get The Foundation one step closer to ensuring that no one lives with avoidable blindness.
The state of eye health in PNG
Access to eye care in PNG is deeply inequitable. While urban areas have limited services, rural regions—home to the majority of the population—struggle with almost no access to professional eye care. Cultural and financial obstacles further prevent women and vulnerable groups from seeking treatment, leaving many to live with avoidable blindness.
By supporting the Centre for Eye Health, you can help break down these barriers, making quality eye care available to all, no matter where they live.
Turn vision into opportunity
Your donation is an investment in brighter futures. With 80% of the $33 million target already secured, your contribution will help complete this life-changing project.
Your investment in this life-changing project will support areas such as:
- The purchase of much-needed equipment for the training of eye health clinicians and the treatment of patients
- Contributing to key personnel for the Centre, including nurses, ophthalmic clinicians, a teaching faculty head and a teaching eye doctor
- Funding scholarships for student eye doctors and nurses and the continued upskilling of the eye health care workforce
- The purchase of essential surgical consumables that will enable eye surgeries to be conducted, including on children
- Supporting outreaches to hard-to-reach parts of Papua New Guinea to ensure access to eye care for all.
A promise of a better future
The PNG Centre for Eye Health is more than a building—it’s a promise of a better future. By partnering with provincial health services, the centre will extend its reach into rural and underserved areas, ensuring no one is left behind.
Training the next generation
The Centre will train approximately 10 eye nurses per year in the Advanced Diploma in Eye Care (ADEC) program (which will double the annual number of eye nurses graduating in PNG)
Building a sustainable workforce
The Centre aims to have 2 eye doctors graduating every year by 2030, doubling the current rate and creating a sustainable workforce to tackle avoidable blindness.
Strengthening eye care in every corner
The Centre will support PNG’s aim to have at least one eye doctor and a team of eye nurses for every province, whereas currently only 7 provinces out of 22 have a single resident eye doctor.
Boosting economic productivity
In Papua New Guinea, every $1 USD invested in cataract treatment delivers an economic return of $29.50. This economic return includes increased labour force participation and productivity, and improved education and learning.
