History

2007

Dr Sanduk Ruit awarded Order of Australia. Nepalese surgeon Dr Sanduk Ruit was awarded an honorary appointment as Officer in the Order of Australia “for service to humanity by establishing eye care services in Nepal and surrounding countries, and for his work in teaching and training surgeons, and technical innovation.”

Dr. Ruit awarded the prestigious Reader's Digest "Asian of the Year 2007" Award.

The Central Australian Eye Health Program started by a consortium involving the Australian and NT Governments, Indigenous controlled health services, non government organizations and The Fred Hollows Foundation to improve delivery of eye health services for people in some of the most remote communities in Australia.

The Foundation celebrates it's 15 year Anniversary.

2006

In 2006 alone, The Foundation reached out to over one million men, women and children. We screened 1,009,272 people, performed 73,838 sight saving operations and procedures (up from 56,508 in 2005), trained 3,781 eye health workers including 207 surgeons and clinical staff and provided $1,179,444 in urgently needed medical equipment.

The Foundation releases its Strategic Framework planning document for 2006-2010 (June).

Fred Hollows' grave in Bourke (Western NSW) is refurbished and a dedication ceremony held with family and friends (February).

A review of the China-Australia Cataract Blindness Prevention Program is undertaken and convincing evidence is found that it has been influential in improving eye health care (December).

The Foundation responds to the earthquake that hit particularly hard in the North West Frontier and Kashmir Provinces of Pakistan (October) - an area where The Foundation has worked for a long time. Delivery of vital supplies was distributed to those most in need.

The Foundation's International Management Group met in the Northern Territory, Australia. Country Managers and Medical Advisers from each of the African and Asian programs gathered for five days to discuss program development issues and future directions, and to learn about the Indigenous Program (September).

The registration of The Foundation's program in Kenya is finalised, enabling agreements to be secured with project partners.

Funding is secured from Atlantic Philanthropies, to expand the Vietnam Blindness Prevention Program so that it now covers five provinces in the central region of Vietnam.

The Foundation supports the construction and equipping of the Bhubaneswar Eye Institute in Orissa, India and gives post-Tsunami support to the Joseph Eye Hospital on the badly affected east coast.

The Fred Hollows Foundation, the community of Wugularr and Woolworths Limited are announced as the winners in the 'large business category' in the Prime Minister's National Awards for Excellence in Community and Business Partnerships, in recognition of the Community Stores Program (April).

A team from Tilganga Eye Centre in Nepal visits North Korea to conduct two eye clinics (March). Two North Korean surgeons had previously trained at Tilganga in 2004.

New Chief Executive Officer, Brian Doolan commences with The Foundation (February)

Chief Executive, Mike Lynskey, resigns (October) from The Foundation to start up a new post at Reconciliation Australia.

Foundation staff and country representatives from all regions where The Foundation operates attend the 7th General Assembly of the International Agency for Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The Foundation is invited by the Provincial Bureau of Health in China to increase the scope of its village doctor training program to include three new hospitals in three new counties in Jiangxi Province (June).

Tilganga Eye Centre in Nepal celebrates its 10 year anniversary (June).

The Fred Hollows Intraocular Lens Laboratory in Eritrea celebrates its 10 year anniversary (February).

The Foundation commemorates the 11th anniversary of Professor Fred Hollows' death on 10 February (9 April 1929 - 10 February 1993).

World Champion Australian Swimmer Ian Thorpe announces the partnership between his Fountain for youth Trust, the Sunrise Health Service Aboriginal Corporation and The Fred Hollows Foundation (October).

Photographers and Foundation supporters Sandy Scheltema and Peter Carrette nominated as finalists in the international Vision 2020 'Visions of Children' photographic competition (September). 

The Foundation commemorates 10 years since the death of Professor Fred Hollows (9 April 1929 - 10 February 1993). 

Zubaida Bibi from Pakistan has the one millionth FHIOL implanted in her right eye by Foundation trained ophthalmologist Dr Abdul Bari (January). 

The Foundation celebrates 10 years of achievements in improving access to sight restoring surgery for disadvantaged people in more than 29 developing countries around the world and in improving the health outcomes of Indigenous Australians (September). 

The Foundation signs a Memorandum of Understanding with the Eritrean Ministry of Health for a program designed to strengthen the national blindness prevention program and its Vision 2020 strategies (August). 

The Foundation releases its Strategic Framework planning document for 2002-2005 (August). 

'Learning from the Past, Thinking about the Future' Indigenous funding conference is co-hosted by The Foundation, Reconciliation Australia and the Whitlam Institute (July). 

The Foundation opens an office in Cambodia (June).

Ray Martin resigns as Founding Chairman of The Foundation (May). 

The Santo Hospital Eye Clinic, in Vanuatu, is officially opened (March).   

The Foundation opens an office in New Zealand to extend the Pacific programs into Polynesia (February).

The Foundation's blindness prevention program in South Africa is launched (February).

The AusAID funded Pakistan Australia District Eye Care Program is launched (February). 

The Foundation receives the International Projects and Export award for Excellence in Engineering and an honourable mention in the Welfare, Health and Safety division of the Institute of Engineers annual awards (November).   

The Foundation signs a Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of the Eastern Cape Province for a five year capacity building program, South Africa (October). 

The FH105 lens is released for commercial purchase from the Fred Hollows laboratories in Eritrea and Nepal.

The Fred Hollows IOL Laboratory in Nepal purchases two FH2000 lathes (May).

Board Director, The Honourable Tim Fischer, presents ophthalmologist and Medical Director of Tilganga Eye Centre, Dr Sanduk Ruit, with a cheque for $400,000, to expand the facilities at the Fred Hollows IOL Laboratory in Nepal (April).

The Fred Hollows IOL Laboratory in Eritrea purchases the first FH2000 lathe and waxless mill (January).

The Foundation announces negotiations with the Federal Government for the development of a major Australian Trachoma Task Force.

Vision 2020:The Right to Sight (Australia) is launched by the Director General of WHO, Dr Gro Harlem Brundtland. The PNG and Pacific Eye Care Program is launched as part of this event (October).

Indigenous Nutrition Program 'Heads of Agreement' signed with the Jawoyn Association, in Darwin (May).

The Foundation opens a project office in Darwin (May).

The IOL manufacturing laboratory in Asmara, Eritrea, receives full accreditation for compliance with international quality standards CE Mark, EN46002 and ISO9002 (January).

Australian Minister for Immigration, Philip Ruddock, visits The Foundation's program in Pakistan (January).

Inaugural Fred Hollows IOL summit held in Nepal (November)

Planning for a blindness prevention program in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa commences (September).

Foundation supporter and Australian photographer, Michael Amendolia, wins first prize in the science and technology section of the World Press Photo Contest for his 12 piece photo essay of one of Dr Ruit's training sessions, at an eye camp in Tibet. 

Clinical trials for FH105 small diameter intraocular lens (this lens is compatible with the requirements of sutureless surgery).

The Foundation undertakes a situational analysis of regional eye care services and needs in PNG and the Pacific.

The Foundation launches the Indigenous Health Program, which expands the focus of its work in Australia to focus on general health and education. The Healthy Tucker project is established. 

FH2000 lathe is validated for commercial production (January).

Danang Eye Hospital, Vietnam is opened (October).

The Foundation works with HelpAge International to develop a blindness prevention program in Cambodia. 

The Foundation advises donors that the third IOL laboratory will not go ahead in Vietnam (November).

Australian philanthropist, Dick Smith, donates $1 million to The Foundation (June). 

FH2000 lathe is shipped to Tilganga Eye Centre, in Nepal, for commercial production validation (May). 

FH2000 lathe is commissioned in a Research and Development facility, Ellex Laser Systems in Adelaide (April). 

A pilot Microsurgical Training Program is undertaken in Jiangxi Province, China (March/April).

The Foundation and 15 other international blindness prevention organisations commit to launching Vision 2020:The Right to Sight by the year 2000 (March).

The IOL Laboratory in Kathmandu, Nepal, receives full certification for compliance with international quality standard EN46002 - it's the first IOL laboratory in a developing country to receive this certification (March). 

Field trials of prototype YAG lasers are undertaken in Kenya, Nepal and Vietnam.

Pakistan Country Manager, Dr Rubina Gillani, undertakes a situational analysis of district level eye care services and needs in Pakistan.

First session of the microsurgical training program undertaken in North West Frontier Province, Pakistan (October).

The Taylor Report with 17 recommendations to the Minister of Health, reviewing the status of eye health in ATSI communities in Australia, is released in Canberra (June). 

Minister for Foreign Affairs Alexander Downer launches The Foundations Research and Development Project - undertaken in conjunction with Adelaide based Ellex Laser Systems - to develop an automated IOL manufacturing process and a portable YAG Laser (October/November). 

The Foundation proposes an independent Australia-wide review of eye health in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. The review is headed by Professor Hugh Taylor. 

Commercial production of high quality lenses commences in the Fred Hollows Laboratory in Nepal (January).

First surgical training session held in Gambia, Africa (December).

Eritrean Paramedic Cataract Surgeons receive certification to perform cataract operations unsupervised (December).

Australian Minister for Trade, Senator Bob McMullan, turns the sod to mark construction of the IOL laboratory in Vietnam (September).  

Africa Microsurgical Training Program is launched (September).

Eye Camp conducted by Dr Ruit in Lhasa, Tibet (September).

First production of IOLs from laboratory in Nepal (June).

Board of New Zealand office appointed (July).

Clinical trials of 50 'Fred' lenses manufactured in Nepal conducted locally (July). 

First commercial sale of IOLs is made from the laboratory in Eritrea (May).

Successful completion of clinical trials of IOLs manufactured in Eritrea (May).

Commercial production of high quality lenses commences in the Fred Hollows Laboratory in Eritrea (February/March).

US Food and Drug Administration states that the FH106 lens exceeds World Health Organization requirements. 

The Foundation launches an Indigenous health and lifestyle initiative, in conjunction with the Apunipima Health Council. Based in Cairns the program aims to provide services to communities in Cape York and the Torres Strait Islands (February).

IOL Laboratory and Surgical Eye Centre opened in Kathmandu, Nepal (June) 
The Foundation tours ophthalmic services and facilities in sub-Saharan Africa (September).

Vietnam Cataract Blindness Eradication Project is established (August).

'Seeing is Believing' launched by Australian Prime Minister, Paul Keating (May). 

Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating and his wife visit the first Foundation office in Hanoi, Vietnam (April). 

The Foundation publishes it 'ECCE + IOL' standard operating procedure (March) 

IOL Laboratory opened in Asmara, Eritrea (January)

Vietnam Eye Program Australia established to raise funds and awareness of the issues surrounding cataract blindness in Vietnam (September).

Fred Hollows dies of cancer in February. A state funeral is held at St Mary's Cathedral in Sydney on the 15th and Fred is buried in Bourke on the 17th.

The Foundation sets up offices in the Prince of Wales Hospital in Randwick (January). 

Hazel Hawke launches The Fred Hollows Foundation at the Sebel Townhouse in Sydney (September).

The first stage of the Vietnamese surgical training program is undertaken.

Fred Hollows visits Vietnam in April.