Surgeon Commander John Duncan treats an unhappy patient. (WN08-0048-71)
by Surgeon Commander John Duncan
11 August 2008
The NZDF team bound for the USNS MERCY left New Zealand on a very cold and wintery morning and arrived later that day in sunny tropical Darwin to board the ship as part of Pacific Partnership 08. We then transited to Port Moresby and started work.
On the MERCY we’re part of a large multi-national collection of military personnel and civilian NGOs, including personnel from the US Army, Air Force, Navy, Public Health and one US Marine. We have Defence Force personnel from New Zealand, Australia, South Korea, India, Pakistan, and Canada and several NGOs, including Project Hope. Project Pacific Partnership has been running for some years now and provides well needed medical, surgical and engineering services in the Pacific. The NZDF team are participating mostly in the Papua New Guinea leg of the deployment, whereas the USNS Mercy will also visit the Philippines, Vietnam, East Timor, Micronesia, and Guam.
The team has three NZDF Nursing Officers; Capt Webb, Lt Hammond and Lt Pinny who are working on the ship in the Intensive Care Dept and on the wards.
One main focus of Pacific Partnership 08 is surgery, with surgeons from many different disciplines operating in four theatres which run all day. Consequently there are many post -operative cases to be cared for and rehabilitated so that they are well enough to be discharged ashore before we leave for Micronesia on 17 August.
One disadvantage to this job is the night shift which all three nurses seem to have got their fair share of. While most of their work is onboard they are also getting a chance to go ashore on one of the many Medcaps (Medical Civil Action Programs) that are held on a daily basis.
Flt Sgt Colin Edie is part of the preventative medical team and is often ashore involved in teaching, assessment of local water supplies, mosquito vector control, and health education. This is a very busy area indeed and one where a lot of good work can be done. Many of the water supplies are in poor condition and cannot supply acceptable drinking water.
LCPL Konlechner is presently ashore on a four day mission as a medical support for one of the many engineering projects, but he's primarily there as medical support for the engineers and personnel involved so will probably end up doing more digging, lifting and hard labour than actual medical work. He’s also been lucky to be staying at the Crown Plaza Hotel while Flt Sgt Edie and I stay on the Ship in a 112 man enlisted mess!
Myself, Sgt Walters and LMED Paitai are involved the 'Medcaps' ashore which consist of primary care, dentistry, and optometry. We go ashore daily to these, returning to the Ship overnight. They are an amazing event to behold and to be part of. There are often over 1000 people waiting for us.
We work with a great team of local volunteers and interpreters. The local folk are grateful and at the last Medcap we were treated to meals, with a feast of wonderful local fare offered on the last day.
The feeling of being involved in Pacific Partnership 08 is well summed up by LMED Paitai: “Operation Pacific Partnership is a truly awesome experience. Everyone on board the Mercy has been extremely helpful and courteous. I'm very fortunate to be given this opportunity and it’s rewarding knowing that my contribution - while small - is helping the goal of the Operation which is to help those that aren't as fortunate as we are.”
Ends
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