Building a Brighter Future: Evaluating the Pacific Eye Institute's Impact on Eye Care in the Pacific.
The Fred Hollows Foundation NZ (The Foundation) is committed to reducing avoidable blindness and untreated vision impairment in the Pacific Islands by continually training eye care professionals to enhance Pacific-led services. A key effort in this mission is the Pacific Eye Institute (PEI) Training Programme in Suva, Fiji. This programme invites nurses with bachelor's degrees or nursing diplomas, and qualified medical doctors from various Pacific nations, nominated by their Ministries of Health, to undertake either a one-year or four-year course.
Evaluation of the Training Programme
The Foundation partnered with Future Partners to evaluate the PEI Training Programme from 2016 to 2021. This evaluation aimed to measure the programme's progress in achieving outcomes laid out in the Foundation's 2016-2020 Programme Strategy.
Methodology
Conducted in late 2022, the evaluation used an adapted utilisation-focused approach to ensure findings were practical for decision-makers. A mixed-method strategy combined qualitative and quantitative data, including monitoring data, documentation, and interviews with 22 key informants from The Foundation, PEI, Fiji National University, and Colonial War Memorial Hospital, both in person and via video conference.
Impact on the Pacific Islands
The evaluation revealed that the PEI Training Programme has significantly improved access to eye care training for doctors and nurses, localised this training, and helped establish a sustainable eye care workforce in the Pacific Islands. These insights will guide The Foundation and its partners in further strengthening their initiatives.
Client Feedback
"This was an important evaluation for The Foundation as we wanted an objective assessment of the impact of the PEI training programme, to understand it’s achievements, where to adjust and improve, and provide direction for future programmes. We appreciated Future Partner’s expertise and ability to quickly understand our complex activities. Ultimately, they designed and delivered a rich evaluation that has proved valuable in demonstrating that the PEI training programme has successfully helped establish a locally-led eye care workforce in the Pacific. In addition, the findings will act as a key resource as we strengthen our activities across the region." Quenelda Clegg, senior Programme Manager at The Fred Hollows Foundation NZ
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