Papua New Guinea

The AusAID funded PNG Tertiary Health Services Project (PNG-THS) managed by the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons funded two Interplast programs to Papua New Guinea this financial year. Services were delivered in Rabaul, Buka and Port Moresby, and 45 patients were treated.

The local surgeons who worked with the Interplast team in Port Moresby expressed their appreciation of the teaching and supervision they received from the Interplast volunteers. In addition to the usual difficulties faced by Interplast volunteers working in under resourced environments, the team in Rabaul were further challenged by a hospital drenched in ash, smoke and acid rain from the near by active volcano. In Buka the number of patients seeking treatment was far greater than expected and fortunately, local plastic surgeon Dr John Maihua also joined the team. Dr Maihua was a valuable asset and, in addition, benefited from the opportunity to receive further professional development.