In Papua New Guinea (PNG) there is a shortage of refractive error services and a limited number of trained eye care nurses to serve a population of nearly six million people.

PNG Eye Care

In February 2011, the National Prevention of Blindness Committee PNG (PBL) was established and ICEE and PNG Eye Care became members of the committee. ICEE provides important ongoing support for the development and implementation of the National Eye Plan.

PNG Eye Care is a local non-government organization, established in February 2008 with the assistance of ICEE, as a capacity building initiative. PNG Eye Care now employs 16 local staff, some work in the head office in Port Moresby while others are spread across the country. ICEE provides ongoing support to PNG Eye Care to achieve its aim to address avoidable blindness and vision impairment through improvement of access to eye care services and affordable spectacles in urban, rural and remote areas.

PNG Eye Care Vision Centres were established in partnership with public hospitals in PNG. This government health-NGO partnership creates opportunities for more sustainable, long term service delivery and provision of eye care services. Since the first Vision Centre was opened in Port Moresby in 2008, PNG Eye Care has opened four more centres operating in Mt Hagen, Lae, Buka and Mendi. The National Department of Health supports PNG Eye Care and the roll-out strategy to public hospitals.

But in a country as rugged as PNG, the terrain often makes travel impractical to Vision Centres. Plans are now underway to increase outreach activities from each Vision Centre to improve access to more remote communities. In yet another initiative t to increase accessibility, the National Spectacle Supply System (NSSS) is providing supply and distribution of affordable spectacles to areas that do not have established eye care services. The system allows supply of good quality affordable spectacles to people who might not otherwise have access. There are currently three sites operational with three more planned for 2012.

And finally in research, ICEE is conducting a project to measure:

- the effect of vision impairment on the quality of life;
- community eye health needs and perceptions;
- barriers to, and utilization of, eye care.

It is anticipated that the study will provide valuable evidence which can be used to improve eye care services throughout the country.

Funders:

• ICEE
• AusAID Avoidable Blindness Initiative (ABI) through the Vision 2020 Australia Global Consortium
  

Partners:

• PNG Eye Care
• ICEE, National Department of Health PNG
• Vision Australia
• RACS, Oil Search
• Callan Services
• BOC Instruments