The Matangi Tonga Weekly magazine told of a hospital in Crisis

Committee Reports » International Service » Vaiola Hospital, Tonga program reports » Reports from 1992-1996

Reports from 1992-1996

 
image
  • The Matangi Tonga told of a hospital in crisis in early 1992.
  • The Rotary Club of Nuku'alofa raised $50,000 to help revitalise the hospital, but wanted the funds to have a specific target rather than to go into general hospital funds
  • John Oswald and John Macdonald visited the Rotary Club of Nuku'alofa in mid 1992 as part of a tour of Tonga to speak at the 50th anniversary of the Tongan Medical Association, and to deliver and inservice cardiac monitors donated by St John of God Hospital
  • The Rotary Club of Nuku'alofa invited Daniel Slattery, CEO of St Johns for advice on appropriate  use of the raised funds.
  • Daniel suggested a twinning program between the two hospitals, and added a further $25,000 from St Johns to support the program
  • The first Exchange took place in September 1993, with two more in early 1994
  • A mortuary is shipped to Ha'apai along with other requested equipment, and a "Wish List is established. Two containers of goods are shipped in 1994
  • Matching Grant #3263, for US$40,000 is granted by the Foundation in July 1994. John Macdonald goes to Tonga to set in train a routine where requested goods are acquired, shipped, dispersed and in-serviced by twinning program staff. This routine  has continued throughout the twinning program life
  • First FAIM team (RAWCS Volunteers) visits in May 1994
  • First exchanges from Tonga includes Mrs Finimoa Mailau, (who undertakes a university course in conjunction with the WHO), an ICU nurse, two radiographers and two electrical maintenance workers.
  • Geoff Hedditch, a RAWCS volunteer, has a heart attack whilst working as a FAIM volunteer in Tonga, spends time in the ICU, is brought back to Australia for further treatment.
  • The use of the Internet, of the CompuServe forum for Rotarians in 1994 enables communication, and the development of the first cyber matching grant, with RI District 7910 in Massachussetts and the Rotary Club of Nuku'alofa (MG #5499)
  • Siosiua Mangaevalu, a boy with a very disabling deformity from a fracture of his knee, comes to Ballarat for complicated surgery.
  • First Dental exchange Nenase Latu works with Peter Copp for three months in Melbourne
  • Matching Grant #7514 to repair the rooves and quarters of the Nursing Home is mooted.
  • X-ray equipment purchase funded by AusAID. This was the first involvement of AusAID in the project.