9 Dec 2005

New Zealand branch of the Fred Hollows Foundation hands over eye health plan to Vanuatu

10:52 am on 9 December 2005

The New Zealand branch of the Fred Hollows Foundation will today hand over a fully functioning national eye health programme to Vanuatu's Ministry of Heath in Port Vila.

Solomon Islands ophthalmologist, Dr John Szetu, established the national eye health programme for Vanuatu in 2000, before which there was no formal eye health plan in the country.

When he returns to Solomon Islands next week he leaves a qualified ni-Vanuatu eye doctor, Johnson Kasso, and 11 trained eye nurse practitioners stationed across the provinces.