Papua New Guinea
Medical activities in Papua New Guinea. Trainings, medical consultations and surgical procedures. Collaboration with the hospital in Kundiawa
Why?
Why did we help in Papua New Guinea?
Papua New Guinea’s progress towards reaching the objectives of sustainable development has been slow and uneven across the country. The provinces with the highest mortality rates among children under 5 years old have a low vaccination rate. The main diseases faced by people of this island nation are infectious diseases such as pneumonia, tuberculosis, malaria, ‘dirty-hands disease’ and chronic non-communicable diseases.
Difficult terrain, lack of road infrastructure and high costs of medical services mean that reaching a doctor is often impossible.
Difficult terrain, lack of road infrastructure and high costs of medical services mean that reaching a doctor is often impossible.
Thanks to the missions we have the opportunity to get to know the culture, actual people and places, and to see a lot of communities really ‘from behind the scenes’.
Jerzy Jaskuła,
Paramedic
How?
How did we help in Papua New Guinea?
Since 2015 we have been collaborating with Polish missionaries in Papua New Guinea. Our assistance consists mainly of trainings, medical consultations and surgical procedures.
In November 2017, three volunteers: dentist Katarzyna Błądek-Grzelczak, surgeon Przemysław Lipiński and pharmacist Tomasz Grzelczak conducted trainings on wound treatment, the use of vacuum pumps and pain alleviation, as well as the calculation of drug doses, oral hygiene and preparation of tooth cleaning powder. They performed 101 surgical procedures, admitted 376 patients for dental consultations during which 233 extractions and 240 fillings were performed.
In April 2018, Paweł Pudełko, a specialist in urology, and Michał Tracz, MSc in pharmacy, went to Papua New Guinea. During their stay in the Diocese of Mendi they trained 50 medical students in the basics of urology and pharmacology. The specialists visited the area around Lake Mendi: Qtubu, Tamenda, Inu and Tuyebi – places where they provided medical services to over 160 patients with urological, skin and infertility problems.
We also started collaboration with the hospital in Kundiawa where a head of department is a Polish surgeon, Fr Jan Jaworski. Paweł Pudełko provided instruction on prostate surgery while Michał Tracz conducted a comprehensive audit of the hospital the results of which were presented to the management of the hospital and the provincial authorities.
In November 2017, three volunteers: dentist Katarzyna Błądek-Grzelczak, surgeon Przemysław Lipiński and pharmacist Tomasz Grzelczak conducted trainings on wound treatment, the use of vacuum pumps and pain alleviation, as well as the calculation of drug doses, oral hygiene and preparation of tooth cleaning powder. They performed 101 surgical procedures, admitted 376 patients for dental consultations during which 233 extractions and 240 fillings were performed.
In April 2018, Paweł Pudełko, a specialist in urology, and Michał Tracz, MSc in pharmacy, went to Papua New Guinea. During their stay in the Diocese of Mendi they trained 50 medical students in the basics of urology and pharmacology. The specialists visited the area around Lake Mendi: Qtubu, Tamenda, Inu and Tuyebi – places where they provided medical services to over 160 patients with urological, skin and infertility problems.
We also started collaboration with the hospital in Kundiawa where a head of department is a Polish surgeon, Fr Jan Jaworski. Paweł Pudełko provided instruction on prostate surgery while Michał Tracz conducted a comprehensive audit of the hospital the results of which were presented to the management of the hospital and the provincial authorities.
160
patients
with urological problems
376
dental
consultations
1
hospital
audited
Papua New Guinea 2018, photo: Polish Medical Mission
Who did we help?
People’s stories
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meet Myat
This was not my first mission. Waiting for the flight to Myanmar, I felt it would be a special trip. I said this to Justyna who was travelling with me. Me, a surgeon, and Justyna, an anaesthesiologist. The Wakema hospital does not resemble the place where I work in Poland. The high humidity made me feel like I was operating in a greenhouse. My attention was drawn to the involvement of the local medical staff. They wanted to learn from me. It’s nice that you leave a trace behind. I remember one day. It was no different from the others, and yet... Suddenly there was a noise in the hospital corridor. A nurse entered the room and said something I could not understand at first. I went out into the corridor and saw a boy with burns. The scars were so bad that he could not close his mouth. Justyna and I knew we were going to be asked to perform a surgery. There was no need to talk – we just exchanged looks; we wanted to help the boy. Myat was very brave and full of hope that we would help him. I wanted to do everything possible. During the operation the light suddenly went out. It would not stop us; we helped each other using phone flashlights. The surgery was successful. Myat got a new life, as it were, from us. He was leaving the hospital with a smile. This is a huge reward to a doctor. I will never forget this boy. Such moments are worth living for!
Who helped?
Who helped in Papua New Guinea?
We are one of the few Polish non-governmental organizations that provide medical assistance. We help where the needs are the greatest. Our assistance is long-term – it brings permanent changes in the communities we support.
Polish Medical Mission
Przemysław Lipiński
Project Coordinator
Co-financing
Medical aid. Permanent changes. Local partner.
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