PP Gus Dominguez presented a brief report on the Solomon Islands Dental Project at the Club meeting on Wednesday 11 July.
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This ambitious project aims to equip the Solomon Islands' National Referral Hospital (NRH) Dental Clinic with a building refurbishment and dental equipment . The refurbishment of an existing building within the Hospital precinct must be completed before the dental equipment can be transported to Honiara and installed.
Unfortunately, chewing betel nut has taken root in the culture of the Solomon Islands. Betel nut chewing is a leading cause of mouth cancer, making oral cancer one of the most common cancers in the Solomon Islands, with the Ministry for Health campaigning to highlight the devastating health and social impact of betel nut chewing.
The National Referral Hospital serves the population of Honiara and the acutest cases from all over the country. Dental Services are currently provided out of a caravan with a single dental chair, parked at the hospital. Dentists trained at the University of Fiji are losing their skills without a place to practice and no dental lab exists to manufacture false teeth prosthesis.
Gus reported that a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) has now been signed by all parties, so we now have a viable Rotary project. It will involve collaboration between:
Rotary Club of Ballarat West
Rotary Club of Berwick
Rotary Club of Honiara
Rotary Club of Ballarat West
Rotary Club of Berwick
Rotary Club of Honiara
A team of experienced dentists from Australia, Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands will also advise the project.
In addition, the Rotary Australia World Community Service (RAWCS) and Donations in Kind (DIK) from Adelaide and Melbourne will provide dental and medical equipment at no charge to our club.
Seven identical and ambidextrous A-dec dental units in excellent condition have been secured from the Adelaide Dental School and one from Brisbane. In addition, medical equipment has been sourced from the Royal Adelaide Hospital, such as an Anaesthetic machine, electrosurgery unit and other items are still coming in.
The Rotary Club of Berwick is purchasing a shipping container via DIK in Adelaide. The medical equipment will be stored in this container in Adelaide until the refurbishment of the building has been completed and and transportation to Honiara can be organised. The refurbishment will involve plumbing, sewage, electrical work, tailor-made cabinetry and flooring with coving.
To cover the costs of the project an application for a Global Grant will be submitted and the possibility of accessing other grants investigated. However, at this stage it is not possible to put together a proper budget, although it is estimated that the project will come at between $50,000 and $60,000.
This project will provide a golden opportunity to really make a difference and greatly enhance the provision of oral health services to people throughout the Solomon Islands, which is one of our poorest Pacific Island neighbours. It is intended that the project will be completed in this Rotary year.
