Fiji

	Country Snap Shot & Eyecare Profile
	Country Fiji Region Western Pacific Capital Suva Area (sq/km) 18,270 Geography Provinces / Districts *Population 905,949 *Population Below Poverty Line 25.5% *Infant Mortality/1000 births 12.30 *GDP Per Capita ($US) $6000 Schools of Optometry 0 Optometrists 6 Opticians   Ophthalmologists 16 Eye Health Workers   Optometrist Association 0 Vision 2020 Signatory  No Vision 2020 National Plan Yes National Eyecare Health Plan Yes

Many of the islands in the Pacific region have limited eye care services. ICEE is working in collaboration with a number of other organisations to address this need.
Together with Vision 2020 Fiji and the Fred Hollows Foundation, ICEE undertook a community awareness survey in Fiji during October 2003.

In all, 172 households in Suva and rural areas of the Central Division of Fiji were surveyed to determine:

• an estimate of the awareness and willingness to visit an eye clinic, and the barriers to receiving eye care;
• an estimate of experience of and willingness to pay for spectacles.

The major findings indicated that only two-thirds of people would seek care from the hospital if they had an eye problem. This under-utilisation may be due to a lack of awareness of services and/or access barriers such as being female, rural residence, and having a fatalistic attitude.
The full findings, and ICEE’s recommendations, were reported to participants and eye care personnel in Fiji through the Vision 2020 Fiji Committee.