One doctor is currently responsible for the eye health of every Ni-Vanuatu, prompting calls for more specialists to meet the country’s growing demand for eye care.

Dr. Johnson Kasso, Vanuatu’s first—and currently only—ophthalmologist, says Vanuatu needs at least four eye specialists over the next decade to provide better access to specialist services and reduce pressure on the health system.

Based at Northern Provincial Hospital in Santo, Dr. Kasso provides specialist treatment for patients from across the country, including routine eye care, diabetic eye screening and cataract surgery.

“My work includes treating everyday eye conditions, screening patients with diabetes for vision complications and performing cataract operations. Most of my patients are elderly, but we also treat children and younger adults who need specialist eye care.”

Dr. Kasso says the biggest challenge is being the country’s only ophthalmologist.

“At the moment, I am the only eye specialist in Vanuatu. That means I am responsible for the eye health of more than 300,000 people—around 600,000 eyes. It is a huge responsibility, and our country urgently needs more eye doctors.”

He said the Ministry of Health’s long-term strategy is to increase the number of ophthalmologists to four, with two based in Port Vila and two in Santo.

The plan is already progressing, with one Ni-Vanuatu doctor currently completing specialist training in Fiji and expected to return next year. Two more doctors are also undergoing training.

“It is encouraging that another Ni-Vanuatu doctor is training in Fiji and is expected to return next year. Two others are also in training, but we still need one more specialist to reach our target.”

With retirement approaching in the coming years, Dr. Kasso says it is important to invest in the next generation of eye specialists.

He is encouraging both young doctors and secondary school science students to consider ophthalmology as a career.

“I want to encourage young doctors who are interested in eye health to come forward. I also encourage science students to work hard and achieve the grades needed to enter medical school. The future of eye care in Vanuatu depends on the next generation of Ni-Vanuatu specialists.”

Dr. Kasso says clinics in Port Vila see between 300 and 500 eye patients each month, while Santo records 200 to 300 patients monthly.

A national eye health assessment conducted in 2023 also identified three major priorities: increasing access to reading glasses, reducing the backlog of cataract surgeries and expanding outreach eye care services to communities across Vanuatu.