OOH progressing well

THE annual Operation Open Heart (OOH) programme involving Australian and Papua New Guinean medical teams is making progress despite time constraints, two Australian doctors said yesterday.
They said six patients were operated on daily.
The teams are conducting open and closed heart operations.
With 19 patients, including two adults, operated so far, Australian team members Kim Stuarts and Dr Darren Wolfersfrom, said many of the patients were recovering well and more operations were expected in the coming days.
Stuarts said the local team had shown great professionalism in their conduct and  were using the skills taught to them well.
“The progress is great, with the local staff involved in the surgeries and as much as we can, we are getting them to do most of the surgeries.
“That is why we are much excited about the programme because that is what we want,” Stuarts said.
Cardio thoracic surgeon Noah Taupau said the programme had been a learning ground for many local doctors and nurses.
“So far we have done 19 closed heart operations ourselves, but when the team arrived last weekend, we’ve done open heart operations,” Taupau said.
OOH has saved the lives of many Papua New Guineans who would not have able to afford such treatment since its inception in 1993.
“For my four-month-old granddaughter and I, we’ve been beneficiaries of this programme and as recipients of this I am very thankful and I believe the government needs to support this programme,” Mary Ruga said.
For Rose Rodney from Ialibu, in Southern Highlands, it has been a relief.
“I have travelled all the way from Ialibu and now I am very happy to the programme for saving my son’s life,”  she said.