A visit to the National Referral Hospital in Honiara, Solomon Islands by Australian plastic and reconstructive medical experts was a great success, with the team holding 71 consultations and performing 41 operations during their two-week visit.
Life changing surgery was performed on patients with cleft lip and palate deformities, scarring from burns, hand surgery, lesions and tumours. The visit was funded by AusAID and arranged by Interplast Australia and New Zealand.
The surgeons, Darrell Nam and Anand Ramakrishnan, anaesthetist Dr Vernon Moo and nurses Jan Sloan and Jodie Ayton were busy with cases from across the Solomon Islands. More than half the patients were children.
Dr Vernon Moo said the annual Interplast visit gives Solomon Islanders access to specialist medical consultations and treatment not available in country.
'We've performed plastic and reconstructive surgery on more than 40 people during this visit and we're very happy that we have now improved the quality of life for these patients,' Dr Moo said.
'It is also a great training opportunity for local staff and we have worked closely with our Solomon Island colleagues at the hospital to share our knowledge and help build skills of the local doctors and nurses. We must also thank Rotary for their wonderful support.'
Dr Moo said most of the team had been to Solomon Islands before so knew the conditions in the hospital, what equipment to bring and developed contacts with the medical staff which made a big difference to working effectively.
Australian High Commissioner to Solomon Islands, Matt Anderson met team in the operating theatre and praised their work.
'Not only do they make a difference to the people they treat and operate on, they also boost the skills of the local surgeons, doctors and nurses at the hospital, which leaves a lasting legacy,' Mr Anderson said.
'The visit by the plastic and reconstructive medical team is one of several specialist medical visits made every year to Solomon Islands and is an important part of Australia's ongoing assistance.'
The Australian Government funds around 50 surgical visiting teams to Pacific Island countries every year. This assistance, under AusAID's Pacific Islands Program, fills gaps in local medical services and provides on-the-job training to local medical staff. Since 1995, medical volunteers have provided clinical visits to 11 Pacific Island Countries undertaking approximately 37,500 consultations and 11,000 surgical procedures.