Dr Duke Mataka (centre) and Tongan eye nurses, with patients and supplies from VOSO

In 2022 VOSO supplied $17,000 worth of surgical supplies to Samoa, Tonga and Fiji. This year the figure was closer to $25,000 of surgical supplies distributed to our Pacific neighbours.

Dr Duke Mataka, Tonga’s only ophthalmologist, wrote last year, “Malo aupito VOSO... we finally received the consumables on Monday, just as we re-started having cataract surgery again. It has been three whole months of no surgery due to Covid and hopefully we are heading toward borders opening again.” While Samoan eye specialist Dr Lucilla Ah Ching-Sefo, told us, “Talofa, kindly informing you that we have now received this shipment in the eye clinic, just as we have run out of many of the intraocular lenses. We are truly grateful to VOSO for this generous assistance."

As well as surgical supplies, Fiji has also been sent cartons of recycled glasses, originally sorted by the charity Lions Clubs of New Zealand. VOSO is extremely grateful to Nassau Logistics and their continued support in transportation, most recently, of these glasses. Florence Tabucala of Labassa Hospital wrote, “We are so grateful for the spectacles, because it will really help both outreach and clinic refraction.” VOSO would also like to say a big ‘thank you’ to Campbell Wiltshire of the Independent Optometry Group (formerly Visique) for the group’s generous donation of optical frames this year, some of which will shortly be sent to Samoan Kiwi-trained optometrist Erna Takazawa, the only optometrist in Samoa.

Later this year, VOSO will send small teams to Tonga and Samoa, while Auckland-based low vision optometrist Naomi Meltzer has kindly agreed to share her services in Fiji again, with support from VOSO. Overall, the situation in the Pacific has changed significantly, with many more local people now trained to offer eyecare. This has meant the need for fewer and more specialised trips. Thus, in the short term, VOSO’s role is more about assisting with the purchase of surgical supplies and mentoring.

We look forward to sharing more about our trips in later editions of NZ Optics.