ADI has deployed 22 volunteer doctors on 28 assignments to treat a patient population of over 32,000 people in North Fly and Middle Fly districts of Western Province, PNG.
Volunteer doctors divide their time between hospital and clinic rounds in the port town Kiunga, and medical patrols to remote villages and refugee settlements in North and Middle Fly districts. Doctors also help to educate and train local health workers whilst on the job and at in-service seminars.
ADI's doctor deployment program includes comprehensive pre-departure briefings, village visit protocols, annual patrol schedules and clear reporting formats.
Hospital rounds - ADI doctors assist at the government-run Kiunga Hospital (depending on medical needs) and teach at the hospital’s weekly ‘Tok Savi’ training sessions for staff. Kiunga Hospital is headed up by CEO Dr. Sister Joseph, a 70-year-old Passionist nun and vascular surgeon.
Our doctors also conduct rounds at the Mission clinic in Kiunga and undertake weekly visits via the Kiunga-Tabubil Highway to see patients in nearby Rumginae, Matkomnai, Yenkenai and Ningerum.
Remote patrols - doctors travel to community health centres and aid posts operated by the Diocese of Daru-Kiunga and the District Government in North Fly District. Villages include Boset, Tarakbits, Golgobip, Kungim, Iowara, Membok, Bolovip, Kuem, Mipan, Komokpin, Yodomena, Kuya and Neogamban.
In 2009, ADI 's program was extended to villages in the Aramia River region of Middle Fly District.
Read about Dr. Avik Majumdar's patrol to the Aramia River region in mid-2009 here.
Prior notice of the doctor's visit is given via radio. A health worker from each village is usually available to accompany the doctor. Sometimes outreach maternal/child patrols take place at the same time as the doctor's visit.
Extensive travel is required to reach these villages. For example, to get from Kiunga to Bosset it takes 14 hours via river, and a total of six days to complete the rounds to 'nearby' outlying villages. From Kiunga to Tarakbits/Kungim it takes four days by river, and a total of five days to complete the rounds to 'nearby' outlying villages.
Volunteer doctors often need to walk between villages in challenging conditions such as humidity, heat and/or mud, so a reasonable level of fitness is required.
Patient numbers and common medical presentations - in 2009, our doctors treated 2,240 patients (22.3% children) over 10 months on patrol in North and Middle Fly (this figure does not include hospital patients).
The most common medical presentations were musculoskeletal (27.4%) caused by hard agrarian lifestyles, respiratory (10%), eye (6%), surgical (5.6%), ENT (4%) and abdominal (3.7%).
Public health programs - during patrols doctors follow up on public health programs. They assist with education about how to use malaria bed nets, help coordinate drug treatment for the elimination of filariasis, and distribute vital medicine to leprosy patients.
Read about Dr. Avik Majumdar and Katrina Pirie's patrol to administer the fifth annual round of MDA in Nomad in mid-2009 here.
Training - doctors support, advise, encourage and share information with community health and aid workers to improve their working environment, medical knowledge, morale and influence within their communities.
Read about the ADI's in-service health training for 59 health workers here.
Education - doctors provide education to local communities on basic health and hygiene, and work with them on issues such as domestic violence, gender equity, sexual abuse and risk taking behaviour more
ADI is always looking for qualified doctors to volunteer with us in the Western Province, PNG. Deployments range from three months to six months.
Download job description and selection criteria here
Apply to work with us by downloading an application form (PDF, Word)
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