HONIARA BASED REGIONAL EYE CENTRE LAUNCHED
An eye-care specialist introduces the Acting New Zealand High Commissioner His Excellency Mike Ketchen and Prime Minister Sogavare to facilities at the Pacific Regional Eye Centre. Looking on is the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Heath and Medical Services Dr Tenneth Dalipanda. Photo credit: OPMC.
The Honiara based Regional Eye Centre has been launched.
Funded by the New Zealand Government, the Eye Centre will now provide free eye care to all Solomon Islanders and act as a regional training hub for visiting eye care professionals.
Speaking the opening this morning Lead Ophthalmologist at the Centre, Dr Claude Posala says he is thrilled to see the facility come to life after extensive consultation and planning.
“The regional eye centre is an important step forward for Solomon Islands eye care in the national and regional arena and it is a milestone achievement for all Solomon Islands as a nation.”
Dr Posala highlights, the Centre will have a significant impact in addressing avoidable blindness in the country, saying the regional eye centre will provide eye care services.
“The regional eye centre will facilitate the provision of quality eye care services to the people of Solomon Islands. It is equipped and will be involved in the training of eye doctors and eye nurses in the region as well. This is the fruition of what is possible when great minds and vision are united with a positive involvement of a supportive ministry and a donor partner.”
The Centre’s design and construction are incredibly high quality, 94 percent of the Centre’s power comes from solar energy and the building materials are predicted to last for 50 years.
SIBC News understands the Regional Eye Centre in Honiara is the most advanced eye care facility in the Pacific.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare says the opening of the Regional Eye Centre will enable more people to use the facility to stop preventable blindness in the country.
The Prime Minister made the remarks today at the opening of the Regional Eye Centre.
“With this facility opening today means more people can use the services it offers and to treat the preventable blindness so that you do not wait until you start experiencing problems with your eyesight before you can be treated. The facility is available for our people to use the services to care for their eyes before they start to experience serious vision impairment and that is great news.”
He also urged everyone to make use of the services offered by the Regional Eye Centre.
“And I urge everyone especially our school children, youths and everyone who has a healthy eyesight to please make use of the services that this regional eye centre offer the community. There is another good reason why people should be encouraged to use this facility services and I am advised for example that the team of eye doctors and nurses who will serve in this facility are among leaders in Pacific health systems withing our Pacific Islands region.”
The Eye Centre will be run by the Ministry of Health, and it is part of the National Referral Hospital.
SIBC News understands the Eye Centre will open its doors to the public on the 27th of July.