Papua New Guinean ophthalmologist Dr Jambi Garap has been named the inaugural recipient of the Gabi Hollows Award, recognising women advancing global health and development.
For more than two decades, Dr Garap has led the development of eye health systems in Papua New Guinea. She established the National Prevention of Blindness Committee and drove major national initiatives, including the Global Trachoma Mapping Project and the country’s first Rapid Assessment of Avoidable Blindness.
In a media release, the Fred Hollows Foundation said Dr Garap’s leadership had helped transform eye health in one of the most challenging settings globally, contributing to Papua New Guinea eliminating trachoma as a public health problem in 2025.
She had also strengthened long-term capacity through upgrades to clinical services and the establishment of a national ophthalmology teaching centre at the University of Papua New Guinea.
“It’s an honour to be the inaugural recipient of the Gabi Hollows Award and I know this will inspire women in health leadership across the Pacific,” Dr Garap said.
