ENB surgery project starts

 By MALUM NALU

A WEEK-LONG medical project called Katim Na Halivim Pikinini (Operate and help children) began in Kokopo on Monday.

Professor Paddy Dewan, a specialist paediatric urologist and general paediatric surgeon, and Dr David Allen, a specialist paediatric anaesthetist, arrived in Kokopo on Sunday and surgery started on Monday.

Thirty medical professionals from Nonga and Vunapope hospitals are helping the visiting team. 

The Islands Petroleum-sponsored project is led by Dr Mathew McLee, PNG’s leading paediatric surgeon and deputy chief surgeon in Momase region. 

McLee and Sr Blendina Jim, the operative theatre manager at Angau Hospital in Lae, are also travelling with the team. 

McLee said they would operate for five to six days at Vunapope on 60 patients, half of which involve major reconstructive surgery. 

The team will travel to Lae on Sunday for one and a half days to operate on four children and a mother. 

Both of them will leave for Australia next Tuesday.

This is Dewan’s 20th visit to PNG. His first visit was in 1993. McLee was trained under him. 

Mathew said: “I would have wished to celebrate Paddy’s 20th year visit to PNG, however, Rabaul and East New Britain has done it through Islands Petroleum, and other sponsors.”

At the welcome dinner at Rapopo Plantation Report, Dewan said he was looking forward to the day when he would come as an assistant to McLee. 

He was excited about the progress of paediatric development in PNG. 

East New Britain health advisor Nick Larme gave on behalf of the provincial government and administration   K25,000 towards the medical project.

At least 60 children have been referred to the visiting specialists to be seen. They started surgery on Monday morning at St Mary’s Hospital, Vunapope.