In July 1996, Jim Graham (radiology technician) and Doug Shearer (Plumber) went to the Kingdom of Tonga to install equipment provided by the twinning programme and the last Matching Grant from the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International.  The Rotary Club of Ballarat West is very grateful to all the volunteers, who like Jim and Doug provide freely of their time to support this project.  This was Jim's second trip, once again offering a fortnight of his time.  Both these volunteers have been guest speakers at several Rotary clubs, demonstrating a continual commitment.  Thank you.

Jim installed both a Toshiba general purpose X-Ray room at Ha'apai and a film processor in Vava'u. This had both been purchased under Jim's guidance by AusAID, but if we had to pay for a company rep to install this equipment, the cost would have made this project unfeasible.  As an aside, Jim reviewed the devices already provided, and was able to help with their ongoing maintenance.

Doug installed the water distillation plant for the pharmacy at Vaiola, and completed the installation of the mortuary at Ha'apai.  He renewed friendships with Miki Muna and Mark Pale.  Miki worked with Doug on the job at Vaiola, as he had in the workshops at St.John of God Hospital in Ballarat.  The ongoing contact and support provided by the twinning programme is appreciated by the staff at Vaiola, and is the essence of what we hope to provide.

Pisi Al-Houasi was the second radiographer to train in the radiology department of St.John of God Hospital. He spent three months there and had a special interest in ultrasound.. His enthusiasm for learning will stand him in good stead when he returns.

Radiology continues to be central to our twinning programme with involvement in training, purchasing, in-service and installation of equipment.  We have much to be grateful to Cliff Trottman and Jim Graham.

The purchasing department at St. John's has again been procuring equipment for Vaiola.  It will be shipped with equipment purchased from the current Matching Grant, together with items donated by the BallaratBaseHospital (Dental ), the Warner's BayPrivateHospital, Newcastle (2 Anaesthetic Machines, courtesy Peter Armstrong) and several other sources..

There is a great shortage of surgeons in Tonga at present..  The hospital, and country, is currently without a qualified surgeon.  Through Interplast, St.John of God Hospital was able to arrange for surgeon Mr. Ken Pettit from Cairns to do a voluntary locum of two months.  Ken's report makes fascinating reading.  If anybody knows of a surgeon who would be willing to consider even a short term in Tonga, I can forward a copy of Ken's report. 

The state of their health system, with no qualified surgeon or paediatrician, chronic shortages of funds etc. etc, has finally impelled the Government of Tonga to ask for assistance for the health system from the Government of Australia.  Currently (May 15 97) a report from AusAID recommends several major programmes.  However, these programmes need to be accepted by the government in Tonga.  As they entail several radical new changes in funding and accountability, there is no guarantee that they will be accepted.  However, the state of the health system is so parlous at the present time that they will have to be eventually.  Until they sign this new agreement, we can make no further plans. 

COMPASSIONATE SURGERY

Siosiua (anglicised to Joshua) Moungaevalu , an 11 year old Tongan boy, had damaged the growth plate of his knee in an accident late in 1993. He had surgery arranged by the programme at St. John's in late 1995, and returned home in February '96.  Using fairly radical new techniques, his leg which was becoming grossly distorted at the knee was able to be straightened out.

Leslie Britt , who had hosted Siosiua and his mother for much of the time they were in Ballarat, has just returned from Tonga where she was able to catch up with Siosiua.  He is well, fully active, untroubled by the leg and getting on with his life.  I enclose a copy of a photo that Leslie took of Siosiua, showing how he is now able to get both feet on the ground at the present time.

  ROTARY SUPPORT

A new Matching Grant (#6550) has been awarded to the project by the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International.  This has a value of $Aus 30,660.00, and was contributed by

 
This will be used to buy three new oxygen saturation monitors (to determine how effectively the lungs are working in someone with impaired respiratory function), a 6 channel ECG/Vital signs monitor, an infusion pump and a Laerdal Resuscitation set.  This consignment plus the remainder of a palate of donated goods (Xray machines from the Rotary Club of Maryborough, anaesthetic machine from Warner's Bay Private Hospital Newcastle, volatile anaesthetic agents, suture materials etc. etc was landed in Nuku'alofa early in May.

It may be of interest to know that just the cost of the transport for that container was about $2400.  It was presented by the Rotary Club of Nuku'alofa to the Hospital on Monday the 12^th of May.  It is hoped that John Macdonald and perhaps David Quinney will be able to get over to do the In-service on these items in June, funding permitting.

A further shipment of primarily dental equipment has been arranged for late May.  David Goldsmith has detailed this in a separate report.  As always all these items were requested by hospital staff in Tonga.  Particular attention has been paid to bringing equipment up to Australian Standards, and ensuring that they will function when they reach Tonga

FUNDING

AusAID are enthusiastic to support the project, but things move slowly. (See above.)

The project is now listed with IPAC and PDG Jeff Binder (Torquay) has been nominated as our representative.  Jeff tells me that the new booklet due to be published mid year lists our project as #101.  The IPAC booklet is circulated to Rotary Clubs all over Australia, and is used by these clubs if they are looking for international aid projects.  He feels that with the accountability that we offer we should be able to get significant support from within Rotary.

The Rotary Club of Nuku'alofa has had the project listed with World Community Service Projects Exchange.  To my knowledge no funds have come from this source yet, but as with IPAC, there is a significant lag time between being accepted, getting books published with the listings, waiting for clubs to look for projects, etc.  Possibly funds from either of these two sources will not come until the end of the next Rotary year.

Our most urgent need for funds is to sponsor more envoys and trainees in the twinning programme.  We have identified a number of areas where we could set up exchanges, but because of lack of finance are unable to go ahead at this stage.  We believe that ultimately we must be supported by Ausaid, but for the time being, with spending cuts effecting every area of public service, government support is more verbal than financial.

FAIM PROJECTS

A whole new area of FAIM activity has opened up with a visit by a dental team from Ballarat.  David Goldsmith (Dentist) and Bill Davies (Advanced Dental Technician) from the Rotary Club of Ballarat West, Rudy Jansen (Dentist, the Rotary Club of Ballarat), Kylie Blake (Dental Therapist, the Ballarat Base Hospital) and Peter Copp (Dental Equipment Repair Technician in private practice in Melbourne) spent two weeks working and reviewing the dental departments at the Vaiola, Ha'apai and Vava'u hospitals.  They took with them an enormous quantity of donated dental equipment that they had been able to procure on advice from the dentist at Vaiola.  David will detail his progress in this project in a separate report.

The areas they are targeting are identical to that of the twinning programme, and the two will work in tandem.  Each of the team members has mapped out goals that they might be able to achieve in their own area of expertise, and each intends to return to Tonga at some stage in the near future to follow up on initiatives already set in train.

David Goldsmith as team leader has  put a lot of time and energy into this project.  With the support of the rest of his team he has prepared an excellent review of the facilities, and detailed specific goals in each of these areas.  This review is available on the Internet at ,

I am particularly appreciative of the role of Kylie Blake, as she holds the key to preventative dentistry. She is very enthusiastic, and hopes to return for an extended period early in this year.  She is keen to be involved in the dental education of Tongan children, and took promotional material with her on their inaugural visit.. 

Peter Copp's participaton was invaluable, as there is not only a shortage of dental equipment in Tonga, but what is there is unserviceable.  Peter has special skills in resurrecting such devices, and was also able to renew his acquaintance with Nenase Latu, (Dental Machine Technician) who had worked under his supervision early in the year.  As I have said before this ongoing contact and support is the essence of what we hope to provide.

NEW MATCHING GRANT

With Trevor Chapman and Robert Bolouri we have applied for a Matching Grant for repairs to the Nurses' Home.  The roof and the ceiling in the top floor needs to be replaced, extensive plumbing repairs are needed and the whole building needs to be painted.

We have received a request from the hospital to redevelop the Home.

Once funding is assured, there will be work for several FAIM teams.  Amongst others, our Rotary Club and the Rotary Club of Torquay are very enthusiastic. 

Other projects could be undertaken if funding is received from IPAC, and /or AusAID. One urgent one is replacement of the steam lines to the hospital. Once again, without funding it is difficult to proceed