New Ireland gives Australian doctors top marks

THE New Ireland government has acknowledged that 2017 was another successful year for the Australian Doctors International (ADI) who visited remote communities and provided medical services and health education.
Governor Sir Julius Chan, ADI’s Dr Mark Newcombe, Dr Stennard Hiashiri and Dr. Alex Wanganapi of the Provincial Health Authority recently reviewed the year’s team operations.
The ADI doctors supported by the Provincial Health Authority conducted 14 patrols and visited 68 health facilities last year.
The doctors treated 3926 patients, provided optometry examinations and treatment to 2967 patients, conducted dental examination and treatment on 6515 patients, and performed 1126 physiotherapy examinations and treatment. They also spent 417 hours in conducting training for health workers on primary healthcare.
They conducted 500 pathological field tests and family planning counseling to 2252 people.
Sir Julius who received the report from ADI’s Dr Newcombe, challenged the chief executives of the Provincial Health Authority, Dr Alex Wanganapi, and provincial administration Dr Stennard Hiashiri to investigate the increase in lifestyle diseases.