01798nas a2200169 4500000000100000008004100001260003400042653005700076653002100133653002700154100001200181700001100193245003500204856011000239520125400349022002501603 2021 d bOxford University Press (OUP) 10 aPublic Health, Environmental and Occupational Health 10 aGeneral Medicine 10 aHealth(social science) 1 aGarap J 1 aKeys D 00 aEye health in Papua New Guinea uhttps://academic.oup.com/inthealth/advance-article-pdf/doi/10.1093/inthealth/ihab052/40126570/ihab052.pdf 3 aIn 2016, a Rapid Assessment of Avoidable Blindness (RAAB) was conducted in Papua New Guinea (PNG). The results of the RAAB painted a bleak picture of the status of eye health of the people in PNG, demonstrating that the prevalence of blindness among people aged ≥50 y is 5.6%,1,2 one of the highest rates in the world.
PNG faces undeniable challenges in providing healthcare for its population. However, there is cause for optimism: the eye health sector has made major progress over the last 5 y to obtain data on eye health that were previously considered difficult, complex, dangerous and expensive. The National Prevention of Blindness Committee (PBL) of PNG is one of the strongest in the Western Pacific region and there have been significant achievements in research, in human resources development and improved infrastructure.
This editorial highlights the progress made in eye health in PNG and the role of the PBL. It highlights the achievements and successes in improving eye health in one of the world's most challenging environments. Making the case for collective action amongst like-minded organizations to achieve comprehensive outcomes is even more important as we start to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic. a1876-3413, 1876-3405