Pacific Eye Institute

Dewan Chand, Suva

Pacific Eye Institute, located in Brown Street, Suva, is a vital national health asset.

It provides excellent professional eye services to thousands of patients who crowd there on a daily basis.

On a working day I have never seen the outer waiting room or the inner waiting room empty ever.

Patients are always jostling to find a seat while the dedicated medical staff are busy serving the patients from the reception desk to the doctor’s room. Names are called out and patients are sent to their respective rooms to be treated. There is always an element of courtesy and smile on their faces. I must commend the staff there for their patience and professional attitude. Thank you nurses, doctors and other ancillary staff.

There is a taxi stand just outside the Pacific Eye Institute and it provides excellent service to the visitors who come there.

For those who bring their cars, there is ample parking space along the Brown Street as the parking area inside is very small and half of it is reserved for the staff.

Most patients seem to be coming from distant places and from the lower income bracket. Taxi seems to be the most popular form of transportation as it is very convenient.

Attached to the Pacific Eye Institute is the Diabetic Clinic as well. Together they provide training ground for the trainee nurses and doctors. It is interesting to see that these trainees from the Fiji National University are keen to learn the tricks of the trade.

However, I must point out that a number of disabled patients also come to the institute on wheel chairs.

There is no ramp to cater for their needs as they disembark from their vehicles. They have to be hauled up by the persons in attendance or the bystanders. Furthermore, once inside there is no room for their priority attendance. They just sit there and wait. The wooden benches in the outer waiting area are very poorly designed. It has only two cross pieces at the back.

Sitting there for long, as usually is the case, gives one a back ache. One more cross piece must be added to make it comfortable. The inner waiting area has very comfortable wooden benches. Could the authorities please attend to the issues I have raised.

In conclusion I must say that we Fijians are fortunate to have this Pacific Eye Institute located in Suva.