Reticulated Suction System to Port Vila
Ballarat Health Services has very generously donated a retired hospital suction system (via the Rotary Club of Ballarat West) to the Port Vila Hospital. The system was surplus to the hospital needs as it has expanded its size recently, with the suction system (installed in 2004) needing to be replaced with a larger system
The club has been working DIK (Geelong) and with members of the Vanuatu Health Resource Mechanism, an Australian Government program to supervise aid Australia directs towards Vanuatu
The hospital in Port Vila does not have a reticulated system - to this date they have relied on individual, Oxygen cylinder mounted systems, which are moved from patient to patient as needed (and if available). The hospital was very grateful to be offered this system, which they value at $90,000, but is essentially invaluable, both making their hospital safer, and saving time, oxygen wastage etc.
The Suction system donated by BHS was large enough for a 200 patient hospital, so it would be more than adequate for the Port Vila Hospital. However, its size means enormous handling problems, as the cylinder tank itself weighs 1.4 tonnes. This was picked up from the hospital and taken to DIK sheds in Geelong some months ago by the Rotary Club of Ballarat East. Donations in Kind and its Co-ordinatiors, Anton van Doornik and Frank Thompson have patiently worked very hard to receive, hold and currently dispatch the suction equipment on a container to Port Vila.
An MOU of understanding was developed and signed by our club and the Port Vila Hospital (with negotiations supervised by the Vanuatu Health Resource Mechanism). The Rotary Club of Ballarat West has funded the local transport costs, with the government of Vanuatu covering the costs of container shipment and eventually the installation throughout their hospital system of this reticulated system. The Works Manager from Ballarat Health Services, who has had a supervisory role in the management of this suction system since its installation in 2004, has volunteered to go to Vanuatu to help with the installation of the system.
With the help of DIK in Geelong, the Suction Unit Support Program team in Vanuatu and Frank Sawyer, the Rotary Club of Ballarat West and the Ministry of Health in Vanuatu hope to have this system installed by April 2016.
John Oswald
International Service Committee
Rotary Club of Ballarat West D9780